X 


**w    f 


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/?.  /? 


Clara  Louise  -Burnljam. 


JEWEL:     A   CHAPTER   IN   HER  LIFE.     Illustrated. 

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••  WK'KK  ALWAYS  OOINO  TO  HAVK  KREAKFAST  ALONE!  "  (see  pa<?p  90) 


JEWEL 


BY 


CLARA   LOUISE    BURNHAM 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 
MAUDE  AND   GENEVIEVE  COWLES 


"  And  a  little  child  shall  lead  them.' 


BOSTON   AND   NEW   YORK 

HOUGIITON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 

CTlje  Ktbcrs'ttt*  13rc£S,  Cambrftfg? 


COPYRIGHT    1903    BY   CLARA    LOUISE    BURNHAM 
ALL   RIGHTS    RESERVED 

Published  September,  iqos 


TENTH   IMPRESSION 


TO 

F,   W.  R. 

MY  FIRST  INSPIRATION 

THIS  STORY  IS 

OFFERED    IN  LOVING 

ACKNO  WLEDGMENT 


2228370 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAOB 

I.   THE  NEW  COACHMAN  ...        ....  1 

II.   THE  CHICAGO  LETTER 10 

III.  MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER      ......  21 

IV.  FATHER  AND  SON 34 

V.  BON  VOYAGE 47 

VI.  JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL     .......        59 

VII.   THE  FIRST  EVENING 71 

VIII.   A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST 88 

IX.   A  SHOPPING  EXPEDITION 100 

X.   THE  RAVINE Ill 

XI.   DR.  BALLARD 120 

XII.   THE  TELEGRAM         .        t        .....      185 

XIII.  IN  THE  LIBRARY  ......  .  150 

XIV.  FAMILY  AFFAIRS 1GG 

XV.   A  RAINY  MORNING 179 

XVI.  THE  FIRST  LESSON 192 

XVII.  JEWEL'S  CORRESPONDENCE 205 

XVIII.  ESSEX  MAID 216 

XIX.  A  MORNING  DRIVE 229 

XX.  BY  THE  BROOKSIDE 242 

XXI.  AN  EFFORT  FOR  TRUTH 259 

XXII.  IN  THE  HARNESS  ROOM 269 

XXIII.  MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S  CALLER 281 

XXIV.  THE  RAVINE  GARDEN 292 

XXV.  MUTUAL  SURPRISES 302 

XXVI.   ON  WEDNESDAY  EVENING 313 

XXVII.   A  REALIZED  HOPE 323 

XXVIII.   AT  TWILIGHT     .  33G 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"  WE  'RE    ALWAYS    GOING    TO    HAVE    BREAKFAST    ALONE  !  " 

(Page  90) Frontispiece 

"  OH,  I  'M  SO  TIRED  OF  IT  ALL  " 22 

THE  BROOK  WHISPERED  AND  GURGLED 112 

"  OH,  YOU  'RE  THE  KINDEST  MAN  " 132 

WAITED  FOR  THE  STRANGE  STIR  AT  HER  HEART  TO  QUIET          190 

BURIED  HER  FACE  IN  HER  HANDS 220 

FOOD  ...  TO  TEMPT  A  DAINTY  APPETITE 298 

ZEKE  HAD  ASKED  HER  TO  SING        .....  338 


JEWEL 


JEWEL 

CHAPTER   I 
THE  NEW  COACHMAN 

"•  Now  you  polish  up  those  buckles  real  good,  won't 
you,  'Zekiel  ?  I  will  say  for  Fanshaw,  you  could  most 
see  your  face  in  the  harness  always." 

The  young  fellow  addressed  rubbed  away  at  the  nickel 
plating  good  humoredly,  although  he  had  heard  enough 
exhortations  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours  to  chafe 
somewhat  the  spirit  of  youth.  His  mother,  a  large, 
heavy  woman,  stood  over  him,  her  face  full  of  care. 

"  It 's  a  big  change  from  driving  a  grocery  wagon  to 
driving  a  gentleman's  carriage,  'Zekiel.  I  do  hope  you 
sense  it. " 

"  You  'd  make  a  bronze  image  sense  it,  mother,"  an 
swered  the  young  man,  smiling  broadly.  "  You  might 
sit  and  sermonize  just  as  well,  might  n't  you  ?  Sitting  's 
as  cheap  as  standing,"  -  —  he  cast  a  glance  around  the 
clean  spaces  of  the  barn  in  search  of  a  chair,  —  "or  if 
you  'd  rather  go  and  attend  to  your  knitting,  I  've  seen 
harness  before,  you  know." 

"  I  'm  not  sure  as  you  've  ever  handled  a  gentleman's 
harness  in  your  life,  'Zekiel  Forbes." 

"  It 's  a  fact  they  don't  wear  'em  much  down  Boston 
way." 


2  JEWEL 

His  mother  regarded  his  shock  of  light  hair  with 
repressed  fondness. 

"  It  was  a  big  responsibility  I  took  when  I  asked 
Mr.  Evringham  to  let  you  try  the  place,"  she  said  sol 
emnly,  "  and  I  'm  going  to  do  my  best  to  help  you  fill 
it.  It  does  seem  almost  a  providence  the  way  Fan- 
shaw's  livery  fits  you ;  and  if  you  '11  hold  yourself  up, 
I  may  be  partial,  but  it  seems  to  me  you  look  better  in 
it  than  he  ever  did ;  and  I  'm  sure  if  handsome  is  as 
handsome  does,  you  '11  fill  it  better  every  way,  even  if 
he  was  a  fashionable  English  coachman.  Mrs.  Evring 
ham  was  so  pleased  with  his  style  she  tried  to  have  him 
kept  even  after  he  'd  taken  too  much  for  the  second 
time ;  but  Mr.  Evringham  valued  his  horses  too  highly 
for  that,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  Thought  the  governor  was  a  widower  still,"  re 
marked  Ezekiel  as  his  mother  drew  forward  a  battered 
chair  and  dusted  it  with  the  huge  apron  that  covered  her 
neat  dress.  She  seated  herself  close  to  her  boy. 

"  Of  course  he  is,"  she  returned  with  some  asperity. 
"  Why  should  he  get  married  with  such  a  home  as  he 's 
got  ?  Fifteen  years  I  've  kept  house  for  Mr.  Evringham. 
I  don't  believe  but  what  he  'd  say  that  in  all  that  time 
he  's  never  found  his  beef  overdone  or  a  button  off  his 
shirts." 

"  Humph !  "  grunted  Ezekiel.  "  He  looks  as  if  he 
would  n't  mind  hanging  you  to  the  nearest  tree  if  he  did. 
I  heard  tell  once  that  there  was  a  cold  hell  as  well  as  a 
hot  one.  Think  says  I,  when  the  governor  was  look 
ing  me  over  the  other  day,  '  You  've  set  sail  for  the 
cold  place,  old  boy.'  " 

"  Zeke  Forbes,  don't  you  ever  let  me  hear  you  say 


THE  NEW  COACHMAN  3 

such  a  thing  again  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  Mr. 
Evringham  is  the  finest  gentleman  within  one  hun 
dred  miles  of  New  York  city.  When  a  man  has  spent 
his  life  in  Wall  Street  it 's  bound  to  show  some  in 
his  face,  of  course  ;  but  what  comfort  has  that  man  ever 
known  ?  " 

"  Pretty  scrumptious  place  he  's  got  here  in  this  park, 
I  notice,"  returned  the  new  coachman. 

"  Yes,  he  has  a  breath  of  fresh  air  before  he  goes  to 
the  city  and  after  he  gets  back  every  day.  Is  n't  that 
Essex  Maid  of  his  a  beauty  ?  "  Mrs.  Forbes  cast  her 
eyes  toward  the  stalls  where  the  shining  flanks  of  two 
horses  were  visible  from  her  seat  by  the  wide-open 
doors  of  the  barn.  "  His  rides  back  there  among  the 
hills,"  -  —  Mrs.  Forbes  waved  her  hand  vaguely  toward 
the  tall  trees  waving  in  the  spring  sunshine, — "are  his 
one  pleasure ;  and  he  never  tires  of  them.  You  will 
find  the  horses  here  something  different  to  groom  from 
those  common  grocery  horses  in  Boston." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  drawled  'Zekiel,  teasingly. 

"Then  you'd  better  know,  young  man,"  emphat 
ically.  "  And,  Zeke,  what 's  the  names  of  those  car 
riages  ? "  pointing  with  sudden  energy  at  two  half 
shrouded  vehicles. 

"  How  many  guesses  do  I  get  ?  " 

"  Guessing  ain't  going  to  do.  Do  you  know,  or  don't 
you  ?  " 

"  Know  ?  Why,"  leniently,  "  bless  your  heart,  mo 
ther,  don't  you  s'pose  I  know  a  buggy  and  a  carryall 
when  I  see  'em  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  poor  benighted  grocery  boy !  "  Mrs. 
Forbes  raised  her  hands.  "  What  a  mercy  I  men- 


4  JEWEL 

tioned  it !  Imagine  Mrs.  Evringham  hearing  you  ask 
if  she  'd  have  the  buggy  or  the  carryall !  'Zekiel," 
solemnly,  "  listen  to  me.  That  tall  one 's  a  spider, 
and  the  other  's  a  broom.  There  !  Do  you  hear  me  ? 
A  spider  and  a  broom  1 " 

Ezekiel's  merry  eyes  met  the  anxious  ones  with  a 
twinkle. 

"  Who  'd  have  thought  it !  "  he  responded. 

"  Now  then,  Zeke,  "  anxiously,  "  it 's  my  responsi 
bility.  I  recommended  you.  I  want  you  should  say 
'em  off  as  glib  as  Fanshaw  did.  Now  then,  which  is 
which?" 

"  Mother,  did  n't  you  tell  me  that  the  late  lamented 
was  not  a  prohibitionist  ?  " 

"  Fanshaw  drank  like  a  fish,  if  that 's  what  you 
mean." 

"  Well,  just  because  he  saw  things  in  this  barn  you 
need  n't  expect  me  to !  Poor  chap.  Spiders  and 
brooms !  He  must  have  been  glad  to  go." 

Mrs.  Forbes's  earnest  expression  did  not  change. 
"  'Zekiel,  don't  you  tease,  now  !  We  have  n't  got  time. 
I  want  you  to  make  such  a  success  of  this  that  you  '11 
stay  with  me.  You  can't  think  how  I  felt  when  I  woke 
up  this  morning  and  thought  the  first  thing,  '  'Zeke  's 
here.'  Why,  I  've  scarcely  kept  acquainted  with  you 
for  fifteen  years.  Scarcely  saw  you  except  for  a  few 
weeks  in  the  summer  time.  Now  I  've  got  you  again ! '' 

"  I  ain't  the  only  thing  you  've  got  again,"  grinned 
'Zekiel,  "  if  you  're  going  to  see  things,  same  as  Fanshaw 
did." 

Thus  reminded,  the  housekeeper  looked  back  at  the 
phaeton  and  the  brougham.  "  Be  a  good  boy,  Zeke,  " 


THE  NEW  COACHMAN  5 

coaxingly,  "and  don't  forget  now,  because  Mrs.  Ev- 
ringhara  is  a  great  stickler  —  and  a  great  sticker,  too," 
added  Mrs.  Forbes  in  a  different  tone. 

"  Who  is  the  old  woman,  if  the  governor  is  n't 
married  ?  "  asked  Ezekiel  with  not  very  lively  interest. 
"  She  don't  seem  popular  with  you." 

"  I  '11  tell  you  who  she  is,"  returned  his  mother  in  a 
low,  emphatic  tone.  "  She  's  just  what  I  say  —  a  sticker 
and  an  interloper." 

"  H'm  !  Should  n't  wonder  if  the  green-eyed  mon 
ster  had  got  after  mamma,"  soliloquized  the  youth 
aloud.  "  Somebody  else  sews  on  the  buttons  now,  per 
haps." 

"  'Zekiel  Forbes,  we  must  have  an  understanding 
right  off.  You've  got  to  joke  and  tease,  I  s'pose,  but 
it  can't  be  about  Mr.  Evringham.  This  is  like  a  law 
of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  and  I  want  you  should  un 
derstand  it.  The  more  you  see  of  him  the  less  you  '11 
dare  to  joke  about  him." 

"  I  told  you  he  scared  me  stiff,"  acknowledged  Zeke, 
running  the  harness  through  his  hands  to  discover  an 
other  dingy  spot. 

"  Well,  he  'd  better.  Now  I  would  n't  gossip  to  you 
of  my  employer's  affairs  —  I  hope  we  're  better  than  two 
common  servants  —  but  I  want  you  to  be  as  loyal  to 
him  as  I  am,  and  to  understand  a  few  of  the  reasons 
why  he  can't  go  giggling  around  like  some  folks." 

"  Great  Scott !  "  interpolated  the  young  coachman. 
"  Mr.  Evringham  go  giggling  around !  So  would 
Bunker  Hill  monument !  " 

"  Listen  to  me,  Zeke.  Mr.  Evringham  has  had  two 
sons.  His  wife  died  when  the  oldest,  Lawrence,  was 


6  JEWEL 

fifteen.  Well,  both  those  boys  disappointed  him.  Law 
rence  when  he  was  twenty-one  married  secretly  a  widow 
older  than  himself,  who  had  a  little  girl  named  Eloise. 
Mr.  Evringham  made  the  best  of  it,  and  helped  him 
along  in  business.  Lawrence  became  a  broker  and  had 
made  and  lost  a  fortune  when  he  died  at  the  age  of 
thirty-five." 

"  Broke  himself,  did  he  ?  "  remarked  the  irrepressible 
'Zekiel. 

"  Yes,  he  did.  Here  we  were,  living  in  peace  and  com 
fort,  —  my  employer  at  sixty  a  man  of  settled  habits 
and  naturally  very  set  in  his  ways  and  satisfied  with 
his  home  and  the  way  I  had  run  it  for  him  for  fifteen 
years,  —  when  three  blows  fell  on  him  at  once.  Firstly 
his  son  Lawrence  failed  and  was  ruined ;  secondly  he 
died ;  and  thirdly  his  widow  and  her  daughter  nineteen 
years  old  came  here  a  couple  of  months  ago  and  settled 
on  Mr.  Evringham,  and  here  they  've  stayed  ever  since ! 
I  don't  think  they  have  an  idea  of  going  away."  Mrs. 
Forbes's  eyes  snapped.  "  Such  an  upset  as  it  was  !  I 
could  n't  show  how  I  felt,  of  course,  for  it  was  so  much 
worse  for  him  than  it  was  for  me.  He  had  never  cared 
for  Mrs.  Evringham,  and  scarcely  knew  the  girl  who 
called  him  '  grandfather '  without  an  atom  of  right." 

"  Hard  lines,"  observed  'Zekiel.  "  Does  the  girl  call 
herself  Evringham  ?  " 

"  Does  she  ?  "  with  scorn.  "  Well  I  guess  she  does. 
Of  course  she  was  only  four  when  her  mother  married 
Lawrence,  and  I  guess  she  was  fond  of  her  stepfather 
and  he  of  her,  because  he  never  had  any  children ;  but 
sometimes  I  ask  myself,  is  it  going  on  forever?  I  only 
hope  Eloise  '11  get  married  soon." 


THE  NEW  COACHMAN  7 

'Zekiel  dropped  the  harness  to  arrange  imaginary 
curls  on  his  temples  and  pat  the  tie  on  hiB  muscular 
neck.  "  If  she  's  pretty  I  'm  willing,"  he  responded. 

His  mother  shook  her  head  absently.  "  Then  there 
was  Mr.  Evringham's  younger  son,  a  regular  roving 
ne'er-do-well.  He  did  n't  like  Wall  Street  and  he  went 
West  to  Chicago.  He  was  a  rolling  stone,  first  in  one 
position  and  then  in  another ;  then  he  got  married,  and 
after  a  few  years  he  rolled  away  altogether.  All  Mr. 
Evringham  knows  about  him  and  his  family  is  that  he 
had  one  child.  Harry  wrote  a  few  letters  about  his 
wife  Julia  and  the  baby,  at  the  time  it  was  bom,  and 
Mr.  Evringham  sent  a  present  of  money ;  then  the  let 
ters  ceased  until  one  day  the  wife  wrote  Jiim  franti 
cally  that  her  husband  had  disappeared  and  begged  to 
know  where  he  was.  Mr.  Evringham  knew  nothing 
about  him  and  wrote  her  so,  and  that  is  the  last  he  's 
heard.  So  you  see  if  he  looks  cold  and  hard,  he  's  had 
enough  to  make  him  so." 

"  H'm  !  "  ejaculated  'Zekiel.  "  He  don't  give  the 
impression  of  lyin'  awake  nights  wondering  how  his 
deserted  daughter-in-law  and  the  kid  make  out." 

"  Why  should  he  ?  "  retorted  Mrs.  Forbes  sharply. 
"  His  two  boys  acted  as  selfish  to  him  as  boys  could. 
He 's  a  disappointed,  humiliated  man  in  that  proud 
heart  of  his.  He  's  been  hunted  out  and  harrowed  up 
in  this  peaceful  retreat,  when  all  he  asked  was  to  be  let 
alone  with  his  horses  and  his  golf  clubs,  and  I  think 
one  daughter-in-law's  enough  under  the  circumstances. 
I  have  some  respect  for  Mrs.  Harry,  whoever  she  is, 
because  she  lets  him  alone.  In  all  the  long  years  we  've 
spent  here,  when  he  often  had  no  one  to  talk  to  but  me, 


8  JEWEL 

he 's  let  me  have  a  glimpse  of  these  things,  and  I  've 
told  you  so 's  you  'd  think  right  about  him  and  serve 
him  all  the  better." 

"  He  's  got  a  look  in  his  eyes  like  cold  steel,"  re 
marked  Ezekiel,  "  and  lines  under  'em  like  they  'd  been 
drawn  with  steel ;  and  his  back 's  as  flat  and  straight  as 
if  a  steel  rod  took  the  place  of  a  spine.  That  thick 
gray  hair  and  mustache  of  his  might  be  steel  threads." 

"  He 's  a  splendid  sight  on  horseback,'1  responded 
Mrs.  Forbes  devoutly.  "  His  sons  were  neither  of  'em 
ever  the  man  he  is.  I  'd  like  to  protect  him  from  being 
imposed  upon  if  such  a  thing  was  possible." 

"  Sho !  "  drawled  'Zekiel.  "  Might 's  well  talk  about 
protecting  a  battleship." 

"Well,  'Zekiel  Forbes,"  returned  his  mother,  her 
eyes  bright,  "  can't  you  imagine  a  battleship  hesitat 
ing  to  run  down  a  little  pleasure  yacht  with  all  its 
flags  flying?  And  can't  you  imagine  that  hesitation 
costing  the  battleship  considerable  precious  time  and 
money  ?  You  've  said  a  good  deal  about  my  sacrificing 
my  room  in  the  house  and  coming  out  here  to  fix  a 
little  home  for  us  both,  upstairs  in  the  barn  chambers, 
but  perhaps  you  can  see  now  that  it  is  n't  all  sacrifice, 
that  perhaps  I  'm  glad  of  an  excuse  to  get  out  of  the 
house,  where  things  are  so  different  from  what  they 
used  to  be,  and  to  have  a  cosy  home  with  my  own  boy. 
Now  then,  'Zekiel,"  coaxingly,  these  words  recalling 
her  boy's  responsibilities,  "  look  over  there  once  more 
and  tell  me  which  of  those  is  the  spider." 

'Zekiel  dropped  the  harness  and  laid  his  hand  gently 
on  his  mother's  forehead.  "  There  is  n't  anything 
there,  dear  mother,"  he  said  soothingly. 


THE  NEW  COACHMAN  9 

"  Zeke  !  "  she  exclaimed,  jerking  away  with  a  short 
reluctant  laugh. 

"  '  Mother,  dear  mother,  come  home  with  me  now,'  " 
he  roared  sentimentally,  so  that  Essex  Maid  lifted  her 
beautiful  head  and  looked  out  in  surprise.  "  Remem 
ber  Fanshaw,  and  put  more  water  in  it  after  this,"  he 
added,  dropping  his  arm  to  his  mother's  neck  and  cap 
turing  her  with  a  hug. 

"  'Zekiel !  "  she  protested.     "  'Zekiel!  " 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    CHICAGO    LETTER 

THE  mother  was  still  laughing  and  struggling  in  the 
irresistible  embrace  when  both  became  aware  that  a 
third  person  was  regarding  them  in  open-mouthed  aston 
ishment. 

"'Zekiel,  let  me  go!"  commanded  the  scandalized 
woman,  and  pushed  herself  free  from  her  tormentor, 
who  forthwith  returned  rather  sheepishly  to  his  buckles. 

The  young  man  with  trim-pointed  beard  and  mirth 
ful  eyes,  who  stood  in  the  driveway,  had  just  dismounted 
from  a  shining  buggy.  Doubt  and  astonishment  were 
apparently  holding  him  dumb. 

The  housekeeper,  smoothing  her  disarranged  locks 
and  much  flushed  of  face,  returned  his  gaze,  rising  from 
her  chair. 

"  I  could  n't  believe  it  was  you,  Mrs.  Forbes  !  "  de 
clared  the  newcomer.  "  Fanshaw  is  n't  —  '  He  looked 
around  vaguely. 

"  No,  he  is  n't,  Dr.  Ballard,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes 
shortly.  "He  forgot  to  rub  down  Essex  Maid  one 
evening  when  she  came  in  hot,  and  that  finished  him 
with  Mr.  Evringham." 

The  young  doctor's  lips  twitched  beneath  his  mus 
tache  as  he  looked  at  'Zekiel,  polishing  away  for  dear 
life. 


THE  CHICAGO  LETTER  11 

"  You  seem  to  have  some  one  else  here  —  some 
friend,"  he  remarked  tentatively. 

"  Friend !  "  echoed  the  housekeeper  with  exaspera 
tion,  feeling  to  see  just  how  much  Zeke  had  rumpled 
her  immaculate  collar.  "  We  looked  like  friends  when 
you  came  up,  did  n't  we  !  " 

"  Like  intimate  friends,"  murmured  the  doctor,  still 
looking  curiously  at  the  big  fair-haired  fellow,  who  was 
crimson  to  his  temples. 

"I  don't  know  how  long  we  shall  continue  friends  if 
he  ever  grabs  me  again  like  that  just  after  I  've  put  on 
a  clean  collar.  He  's  got  beyond  the  place  where  I  can 
correct  him.  I  ought  to  have  done  it  oftener  when  I 
had  the  chance.  This  is  my  boy  'Zekiel,  Dr.  Ballard," 
with  a  proud  glance  in  the  direction  of  the  youth,  who 
looked  up  and  nodded,  then  continued  his  labors.  "  Mr. 
Evringham  has  engaged  him  on  trial.  He 's  been  with 
horses  a  couple  of  years,  and  I  guess  he  '11  make  out 
all  right." 

"  Glad  to  know  you,  'Zekiel,"  returned  the  doctor. 
"  Your  mother  has  been  a  good  friend  of  mine  half  my 
life,  and  I  've  often  heard  her  speak  of  you.  Look  out 
for  my  horse,  will  you  ?  I  shall  be  here  half  an  hour 
or  so." 

When  the  doctor  had  moved  off  toward  the  house 
Mrs.  Forbes  nodded  at  her  son  knowingly. 

"  Might 's  well  walk  Hector  into  the  barn  and  un- 
check  him,  Zeke,"  she  said.  "  They  '11  keep  him 
more  'n  a  half  an  hour.  That  young  man,  'Zekiel 
Forbes,  —  that  young  man  's  my  hope"  Mrs.  Forbes 
spoke  impressively  and  shook  her  forefinger  to  empha 
size  her  words. 


12  JEWEL 

"  What  you  hoping  about  him  ?  "  asked  'Zekiel,  lay 
ing  down  the  harness  and  proceeding  to  lead  the  gray 
horse  up  the  incline  into  the  barn. 

"  Should  n't  wonder  a  mite  if  he  was  our  deliverer," 
went  on  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  I  saw  it  in  Mrs.  Evringham's 
eye  that  he  suited  her,  the  first  night  that  she  met 
him  here  at  dinner.  I  like  him  first-rate,  and  I  don't 
mean  him  any  harm  ;  but  he  's  one  of  these  young  doc 
tors  with  plenty  of  money  at  his  back,  bound  to  have 
a  fashionable  practice  and  succeed.  His  face  is  in  his 
favor,  and  I  guess  he  knows  as  much  as  any  of  'em,  and 
he  can  afford  the  luxury  of  a  wife  brought  up  the  way 
Eloise  Evringham  has  been.  That 's  right,  Zeke. 
Unfasten  the  check-rein,  though  the  doctor  don't  use 
a  mean  one,  I  must  say.  I  only  hope  there  's  a  purga 
tory  for  the  folks  that  use  too  short  check-reins  on  their 
horses.  I  hope  they  '11  have  to  wear  'em  themselves  for 
a  thousand  years,  and  have  to  stand  waiting  at  folks' 
doors  frothing  at  the  mouth,  and  the  back  of  their 
necks  half  breaking  when  the  weather  's  down  to  zero 
and  up  to  a  hundred.  That 's  what  I  hope  !  " 

'Zekiel  grinned.  "You  want  'em  to  try  the  cold 
place  and  the  hot  one  too,  do  you?  " 

"  Yes  I  do,  and  to  stay  in  the  one  that  hurts  the 
most.  The  man  that  uses  a  decent  check-rein  on  his 
horse,"  continued  Mrs.  Forbes,  dropping  into  a  phi 
losophizing  tone,  "  is  apt  to  be  as  decent  to  his  wife. 
The  doctor  would  be  a  great  catch  for  that  girl,  and  I 
think"  dropping  her  voice,  "her  mother 'd  be  liable 
to  live  with  'em." 

"  You  're  keeping  that  dark  from  the  doctor,  I 
s'pose  ?  "  remarked  'Zekiel. 


THE  CHICAGO  LETTER  13 

«'  H'm.  You  need  n't  think  I  go  chattering  around 
that  house  the  way  I  do  out  here.  I  Ve  got  a  great 
talent,  if  I  do  say  it,  for  minding  my  own  business." 

"  Good  enough,"  drawled  'Zekiel.  "  I  heard  tell 
once  of  a  firm  that  made  a  great  fortune  just  doing 
that  one  thing." 

"  Don't  you  be  sassy  now.  I  've  always  waited  on 
Mr.  Evringham  while  he  ate  his  meals,  and  that 's  the 
time  he  'd  often  speak  out  to  me  about  things  if  he 
felt  in  the  humor,  so  that  in  all  these  years  'tis  n't 
any  wonder  if  I  've  come  to  feel  that  his  business  is 
mine  too." 

"  Just  so,"  returned  'Zekiel,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"  It 's  been  as  plain  as  your  nose  that  the  interlopers 
don't  like  to  have  me  there.  Not  that  they  have  any 
thing  special  against  me,  but  they  'd  like  to  have  some 
one  younger  and  stylisher  to  hand  them  their  plates. 
I  '11  never  forget  one  night  when  they  'd  been  here 
about  a  week,  and  I  think  Mr.  Evringham  had  begun 
to  suspect  they  were  fixtures,  —  I  'd  felt  it  from  the 
first,  —  Mrs.  Evringham  said,  '  Why,  father,  does  Mrs. 
Forbes  always  wait  on  your  table?  I  had  supposed 
she  was  temporarily  taking  the  place  of  your  butler  or 
your  waitress.'  " 

The  housekeeper's  effort  to  imitate  the  airy  manner 
she  remembered  caused  her  son  to  chuckle  as  he  gath 
ered  up  the  shining  harness. 

"  You  should  have  seen  the  look  Mr.  Evringham 
gave  her.  Just  as  if  he  did  n't  see  her  at  all.  '  Yes,' 
he  answered,  '  I  hope  Mrs.  Forbes  will  wait  on  my 
table  as  long  as  I  have  one.'  And  I  will  if  I  have 
my  health,"  added  the  speaker,  bridling  with  renewed 


14  JEWEL 

pleasure  at  the  memory  of  that  triumphant  moment. 
"  They  think  I  'm  a  machine  without  any  feelings  or 
opinions,  and  that  I  've  been  wound  up  to  suit  Mr. 
Evringham  and  run  his  establishment,  and  that  I  'm  no 
more  to  be  considered  than  the  big  Westminster  clock 
on  the  stairs.  Mrs.  Evringham  did  try  once  to  get 
into  my  employer's  rooms  and  look  after  his  clothes." 
Mrs.  Forbes  shook  her  head  and  tightened  her  lips  at 
some  recollection. 

"  She  bucked  up  against  the  machine,  did  she  ? " 
inquired  Zeke. 

The  housekeeper  glanced  around  to  see  if  any  one 
might  be  approaching. 

"  I  saw  her  go  in  there,  and  I  followed  her,"  she  con 
tinued  almost  in  a  whisper.  "  She  sort  of  started,  but 
spoke  up  in  her  cool  way,  '  I  wish  to  look  over  father's 
clothes  and  see  if  anything  needs  attention.'  '  Thank 
you,  Mrs.  Evringham,  but  everything  is  in  order,'  I 
said,  very  respectful.  '  "Well,  leave  it  for  me  next  time, 
Mrs.  Forbes,'  she  says.  '  I  shall  take  care  of  him  while 
I  am  here.'  '  Thank  you,'  says  I, '  but  he  would  n't  want 
your  visit  interfered  with  by  that  kind  of  work.'  She 
looked  at  me  sort  of  suspicious  and  haughty.  '  I  pre 
fer  to  do  it,'  she  answers,  trying  to  look  holes  in  me 
with  her  big  eyes.  '  Then  will  you  ask  him,  please,' 
said  I  very  polite,  '  before  I  give  you  the  keys,  because 
we  've  got  into  habits  here.  I  've  taken  care  of  Mr. 
Evringham's  clothes  for  fifteen  years.'  She  looked  kind 
of  set  back.  '  Is  it  so  long  ?  '  she  asks.  '  Well,  I 
will  see  about  it.'  But  I  guess  the  right  time  for 
seeing  about  it  never  came,"  added  the  housekeeper 
knowingly. 


THE  CHICAGO  LETTER  15 

"  You  're  still  doing-  business  at  the  old  stand,  eh  ?  " 
rejoined  Zeke.  "Well,  I'm  glad  you  like  your  job. 
It 's  my  opinion  that  the  goveraor  's  harder  " 

"  Ahem,  ahem  !  "  Mrs.  Forbes  cleared  her  throat 
with  desperate  loudness  and  tugged  at  her  son's  shirt 
sleeve  with  an  energy  which  caused  him  to  wheel. 

Coming  up  the  sunny  driveway  was  a  tall  man  with 
short,  scrupulously  brushed  iron-gray  hair,  and  sweep 
ing  mustache.  The  lines  under  his  eyes  were  heavy,  his 
glance  was  cold.  His  presence  was  dignified,  command 
ing,  repellent. 

The  housekeeper  and  coachman  both  stood  at  atten 
tion,  the  latter  mechanically  pulling  down  his  rolled-up 
sleeves. 

"  So  you  're  moving  out  here,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  was  the 
remark  with  which  the  newcomer  announced  himself. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Evringham.  The  man  has  been  here  to- 
put  in  the  electric  bell  you  ordered.  I  shall  be  as 
quick  to  call  as  if  I  was  still  in  the  house,  sir,  and  I 
thank  you  —  'Zekiel  and  I  both  do  —  for  consenting  to 
my  making  it  home-like  for  him.  Perhaps  you  'd  come 
up  and  see  the  rooms,  sir  ?  " 

"  Not  just  now.  Some  other  time.  I  hope  'Zekiel 
is  going  to  prove  himself  worth  all  this  trouble." 

The  new  coachman's  countenance  seemed  frozen  into 
a  stolidity  which  did  not  alter. 

"  I  'm  sure  he  '11  try,"  replied  his  mother,  "  and  Fan- 
shaw's  livery  fits  him  to  such  a  turn  that  it  would  have 
been  flying  in  the  face  of  Providence  not  to  try  him. 
Did  you  give  orders  to  be  met  at  this  train,  sir  ?  "  Mrs. 
Forbes  looked  anxiously  toward  the  set  face  of  her 
heir. 


16  JEWEL 

"  No  —  I  came  out  unexpectedly.  I  have  received 
news  that  is  rather  perplexing." 

The  housekeeper  had  not  studied  her  employer's 
moods  for  years  without  understanding  when  she  could 
be  of  use. 

"  I  will  come  to  the  house  right  off,"  was  her  prompt 
response.  "  It 's  a  pity  you  did  n't  know  the  bell  was 
in,  sir." 

"  No,  stay  where  you  are.  I  see  Dr.  Ballard  is  here. 
We  might  be  interrupted.  You  can  go,  'Zekiel." 

The  young  fellow  needed  no  second  invitation,  but 
turned  and  mounted  the  stairway  that  led  to  the 
chambers  above. 

Mr.  Evringham  took  from  his  pocket  a  bunch  of 
papers,  and  selecting  a  letter  handed  it  to  Mrs.  Forbes, 
motioning  her  to  the  battered  chair,  which  was  still  in 
evidence.  He  seated  himself  on  the  stool  Zeke  had 
vacated,  while  his  housekeeper  opened  and  read  the 
following  letter :  — 

CHICAGO,  April  28,  19—. 

DEAR  FATHER,  —  The  old  story  of  the  Prodigal  Son 
has  always  plenty  of  originality  for  the  Prodigal.  I 
have  returned,  and  thank  Heaven  sincerely  I  do  not 
need  to  ask  you  for  anything.  My  blessed  girl  Julia 
has  supported  herself  and  little  Jewel  these  years  while 
I  've  been  feeding  on  husks.  I  don't  see  now  how  I 
was  willing  to  be  so  revoltingly  cruel  and  cowardly  as 
to  leave  her  in  the  lurch,  but  she  has  made  friends  and 
they  have  stood  by  her,  and  now  I  've  been  back  since 
September,  doing  all  in  my  power  to  make  up  what  I 
can  to  her  and  Jewel,  as  we  call  little  Julia.  They 
were  treasures  to  return  to  such  as  I  deserved  to  have 


THE  CHICAGO  LETTER  17 

lost  forever ;  but  Julia  treats  me  as  if  I  'd  been  white 
to  her  right  along.  I  've  lately  secured  a  position 
that  I  hope  to  keep.  My  wife  has  been  dressmaking, 
and  this  is  something  in  the  dry  goods  line  that  I  got 
through  her.  The  firm  want  us  to  go  to  Europe  to  do 
some  buying.  They  will  pay  the  expenses  of  both  ;  but 
that  leaves  Jewel.  I  've  heard  that  Lawrence's  wife 
and  daughter  are  living  with  you.  I  wondered  if  you  'd 
let  us  bring  Jewel  as  far  as  New  York  and  drop  her 
with  you  for  the  six  weeks  that  we  shall  be  gone.  If 
we  had  a  little  more  ahead  we  'd  take  the  child  with  us. 
She  is  eight  years  old  and  wouldn't  be  any  trouble, 
but  cash  is  scarce,  and  although  we  could  board  her 
here  with  some  friend,  I  'd  like  to  have  her  become  ac 
quainted  with  her  grandfather,  and  I  thought  as  Madge 
and  Eloise  were  with  you,  they  would  look  after  her 
if  Mrs.  Forbes  is  no  longer  there.  This  has  all  come 
about  very  suddenly,  and  we  sail  next  Wednesday  on 
the  Scythia,  so  I  '11  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  wire 
me.  I  shall  be  glad  to  shake  your  hand  again. 
Your  repentant  son, 

HARRY. 

Mrs.  Forbes  looked  up  from  the  letter  to  find  her 
employer's  eyes  upon  her.  Her  lips  were  set  in  a  tight 
line. 

"Well?"  he  asked. 

"  I  'd  like  to  ask  first,  sir,  what  you  think  of  it  ?  " 
"  It  strikes  me  as  very  cool.   Harry  knows  my  habits." 
The  housekeeper  loosened  the  reins  of  her  indigna 
tion. 

"  The  idea  of  your  having  a  child  here  to  clatter  up 


18  JEWEL 

and  down  the  stairs  at  the  very  time  you  want  to 
take  a  nap  !  "  she  burst  forth.  "  You  've  had  enough 
to  bear  already." 

"  A  deal  of  company  in  the  house  as  it  is,  eh  ?  "  he 
rejoined.  It  was  the  first  reference  he  had  ever  made 
to  his  permanent  guests. 

"  It 's  what  I  was  thinking,  sir." 

"  You're  not  for  it,  then,  Mrs.  Forbes?  " 

"  So  far  as  taking  care  of  the  child  goes,  I  should 
do  my  duty.  I  don't  think  Mrs.  Evringham  or  her 
daughter  would  wish  to  be  bothered  ;  but  I  know  very 
little  about  children,  except  that  your  house  is  no  place 
for  them  to  be  racing  around  in.  One  young  one 
brings  others.  You  would  be  annoyed,  sir.  Some  folks 
can  always  ask  favors."  The  housekeeper's  cheeks 
were  flushed  with  the  strength  of  her  repugnance,  and 
her  bias  relieved  Mr.  Evringham's  indecision. 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  he  returned,  rising.  "  Tell 
'Zekiel  to  saddle  the  Maid.  After  dinner  I  will  let 
him  take  a  telegram  to  the  office." 

He  returned  to  the  house  without  further  words, 
and  Mrs.  Forbes  called  to  her  son  in  a  voice  that  had  a 
wrathful  quaver. 

"  What  you  got  your  back  up  about  ? "  inquired 
Zeke  softly,  after  a  careful  look  to  see  that  his  august 
master  had  departed. 

"  Never  you  mind.  Mr.  Evringham  wants  you 
should  saddle  his  horse  and  bring  her  around.  I  want 
he  should  see  you  can  do  it  lively." 

"  Ain't  she  a  beaut' !  "  exclaimed  Zeke  as  he  led  out 
the  mare.  "  She  'd  ought  to  be  shown,  she  had." 

"  Shown  !     Better  not  expose  your  ignorance  where 


THE  CHICAGO  LETTER  19 

Mr.  Evringham  can  hear  you.  That  mare  's  taken  two 
blue  ribbons  already." 

"  Showed  they  knew  their  business,"  returned  Zeke 
imperturbably.  "  I  s'pose  the  old  gent  don't  care  any 
more  for  her  than  he  does  for  his  life." 

"  I  guess  he  loves  her  the  best  of  anything  in  this 
world." 

"  Love !  The  governor  love  anything  or  anybody ! 
That 's  good,"  remarked  the  young  fellow,  while  Essex 
Maid  watched  his  movements  about  her  with  gentle, 
curious  eyes. 

"  I  do  believe  she  misses  Fanshaw  and  notices  the 
difference,"  remarked  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  Glad  to,  too.  Ain't  you,  my  beauty  ?  She  's  going 
to  be  stuck  on  me  before  we  get  through.  She  don't 
want  any  Britishers  fooling  around  her." 

"  You  've  certainly  made  her  look  fine,  Zeke.  I  know 
Mr.  Evringham  will  be  pleased.  She  just  shines  from 
her  pretty  little  ears  to  her  hoofs.  Take  her  around 
and  then  come  back.  I  want  to  talk  to  you." 

"  If  I  don't  come  back,"  returned  the  boy,  "  you  '11 
know  the  governor 's  looked  at  me  a  little  too  hard  and 
I  've  been  struck  so." 

"  Don't  be  any  foolisher  than  you  can  help,"  returned 
Mrs.  Forbes,  "  and  hurry." 

On  'Zekiel's  return  to  the  barn  he  saw  that  his  mo 
ther's  face  was  portentous.  "  Lawrence  was  at  least 
handsome  like  his  father,"  she  began  without  pream 
ble,  looking  over  Zeke's  shoulder,  "  but  Harry  was  as 
homely  as  he  was  no  account.  I  should  think  that 
man  had  enough  of  his  sons'  belongings  hanging  on 
him  already.  What  do  you  think,  'Zekiel  Forbes  ? 


20  JEWEL 

Mr.  Evringham's  youngest  son  Harry  has  turned  up 
again !  " 

"  I  should  think  it  was  the  old  Harry  by  your  tone," 
rejoined  Zeke  equably. 

"  He  and  his  wife,  poor  as  church  mice,  are  getting 
their  expenses  paid  to  Europe  on  business,  and  they 
have  the  nerve  —  yes,  the  cheek  —  to  ask  Mr.  Evring- 
ham  to  let  them  leave  their  young  one,  a  girl  eight 
years  old,  with  him  while  they  're  gone." 

"  I  hope  it 's  a  real  courageous  youngster,"  remarked 
Zeke. 

"  A  child  !  A  wild  Western  dressmaker's  young  one 
in  Mr.  Evringham's  elegant  house  !  " 

"  Is  the  old  Harry  a  dressmaker  ? "  asked  Zeke 
mildly. 

"  No,  his  wife  is.  His  Julia !  They  've  named  this 
girl  for  her,  and  I  suppose  they  called  her  Jule,  and 
then  twisted  it  around  to  Jewel.  Jewel !  It  makes  me 
sick." 

"  When  is  she  coming  ?  "  asked  Zeke,  seeing  that  he 
was  expected  to  say  something. 

"  Coming  ?  She  is  n't  coining,"  cried  his  mother 
irefully.  "Not  while  Mr.  Evringham  has  his  wits. 
They  have  n't  a  particle  of  right  to  ask  him.  Harry  has 
worried  him  to  distraction  already.  The  child  would 
be  sure  to  torment  him." 

"  He  'd  devour  her  the  second  day,  then,"  returned 
Zeke  calmly.  "It  would  be  soon  over." 


CHAPTER  III 

MOTHER    AND    DAUGHTER 

DR.  BALLARD  had  gone,  and  his  hostesses  were  await 
ing  the  summons  to  dinner.  Mrs.  Evringham  regarded 
her  daughter  critically  as  the  girl  sat  at  the  piano,  idly 
running  her  fingers  over  the  keys. 

The  listlessness  expressed  in  the  fresh  face  and 
rounded  figure  brought  a  look  of  disapproval  into  the 
mother's  eyes. 

"  You  must  practice  that  nocturne,"  she  said.  "  You 
played  it  badly  just  now,  and  there  is  no  excuse  for  it, 
Eloise." 

"  If  you  will  let  me  give  lessons  I  will,"  responded 
the  girl  promptly,  without  turning  her  graceful,  droop 
ing  head. 

The  unexpected  reply  was  startling. 

"  What  are  you  talking  about?"  asked  Mrs.  Ev 
ringham. 

"  Oh,  I  'm  so  tired  of  it  all,"  replied  the  girl  wearily. 

A  frown  contracted  her  mother's  forehead.  "  Tired 
of  what  ?  Turn  around  here !  "  She  rose  and  put  her 
hands  on  the  pretty  shoulders  and  turned  her  child 
until  the  clear  gray  eyes  met  hers.  "  Now  then,  tired 
of  what  ?  " 

Eloise  smiled  slightly,  and  sighed.  "Of  playing 
nocturnes  to  Dr.  Ballard." 


22  JEWEL 

"  And  he  is  quite  as  tired  of  hearing  you,  I  dare  say," 
was  the  retort.  "  It  seems  to  me  you  always  stumble 
when  you  play  to  the  doctor,  and  he  adores  Chopin." 

Eloise  continued  to  meet  her  mother's  annoyed  gaze, 
her  hands  fallen  in  her  lap,  all  the  lines  of  her  nut- 
brown  hair,  her  exquisite  face,  and  pliable,  graceful 
figure  so  many  silent  arguments,  as  they  always  were, 
against  any  one's  harboring  annoyance  toward  her. 

"  You  say  he  does,  mother,  and  you  have  assured 
him  of  it  so  often  that  the  poor  man  does  n't  dare  to  say 
otherwise ;  but  really,  if  you  'd  let  him  have  the  latest 
Weber  and  Field  hit,  I  think  he  would  be  so  grateful." 

"  Learn  it  then  !  "  returned  Mrs.  Evringham. 

Eloise  laughed  lazily.  "  Intrepid  little  mother ! " 
Then  she  added,  in  a  different  tone,  "  Don't  you  think 
there  is  any  danger  of  our  being  too  obliging  ?  I  'm 
not  the  only  girl  in  town  whose  mother  wishes  her  to 
oblige  Dr.  Ballard.  May  we  not  overreach  ourselves  ?  " 

"  Eloise  !  "  Mrs.  Evringham's  half-affectionate,  half- 
remonstrating  grasp  fell  from  her  child's  shoulders. 
"  That  remark  is  in  very  bad  taste." 

The  girl  shook  her  head  slowly.  "  I  never  can  un 
derstand  why  it  is  any  satisfaction  to  you  to  pretend. 
You  find  comfort  in  pretending  that  Mr.  Evringham 
likes  to  have  us  here,  likes  us  to  use  his  carriages,  to 
receive  his  friends,  and  all  the  rest  of  it.  We  Ve  been 
here  seven  weeks  and  three  days,  and  that  little  game 
of  pretending  is  satisfying  you  still.  You  are  like  the 
ostrich  with  its  head  in  the  sand." 

Mrs.  Evringham  drew  her  lithe  figure  up.  "  Well, 
Eloise,  I  hope  there  are  limits  to  this.  To  call  your 
own  mother  an  —  an  ostrich ! " 


"OH,    I'M    HO   TIRKD   OF   IT  ALL" 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  23 

"  Don't  speak  so  loud,"  returned  the  girl,  rising  and 
vitting  her  mother's  hand.  "  Grandfather  has  returned 
from  his  ride.  I  just  heard  him  come  in.  It  is  too  near 
dinner  time  for  a  scene.  There  is  no  need  of  our  pre 
tending  to  each  other,  is  there  ?  You  have  always  put 
me  off  and  put  me  off,  but  surely  you  mean  to  bring 
this  to  an  ei  :  pretty  soon?" 

"  You  could  bring  it  to  an  end  at  once  if  you  would !  " 
reHrred  Mrs.  Evringham,  her  voice  lowered.  "  Dr.  Bal- 
lard  nas  n  liing  to  wait  for.  I  know  all  about  his 
circumstances.  There  never  was  such  a  providence  as 
father's  having  a  friend  like  him  ready  to  our  hand  — 
so  suitable,  so  attractive,  so  rich  ! " 

"  Yes,"  responded  the  girl  low  and  equably,  "  it  is 
just  five  weeks  and  two  days  that  you  have  been  throw 
ing  me  at  that  man's  head." 

"  I  have  done  nothing  of  the  kind,  Eloise  Evring 
ham." 

"  Yes  you  have,"  returned  the  girl  without  excite- 
m^nt,  "and  grandfather  sneering  at  us  all  the  time  un 
der  his  mustache.  He  knows  that  there  are  other  girls 
and  other  mothers  interested  in  Dr.  Ballard  more  de 
sirable  than  we  are.  Oh !  how  easy  it  is  to  be  more 
desirable  than  we  are  !  " 

"  There  is  n't  one  girl  in  five  hundred  so  pretty  as 
you,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham  stoutly. 

"  I  wish  my  prettiness  could  persuade  you  into  my 
way  of  thinking." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  The  glance  of  the  older 
woman  was  keen  and  suspicious. 

"  We  would  take  a  cheap  little  apartment  to-morrow," 
said  the  girl  wistfully. 


24  JEWEL 

Mrs.  Evringham  gave  an  ejaculation  of  impatience. 
"  And  do  all  our  own  work  and  live  like  pigs  !  "  she 
returned  petulantly. 

Eloise  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I  may  flatter  my 
self,  but  I  fancy  I  should  keep  it  rather  clean." 

"  You  wouldn't  your  hands  then."  Mrs.  Evringham 
regarded  the  hands  worthy  to  be  imitated  by  a  sculptor's 
art,  and  the  girl  raised  them  and  inspected  the  rose- 
tints  of  their  tips.  "  I  've  read  something  about  rubber 
gloves,"  she  returned  vaguely. 

"  You  'd  better  read  something  else  then.  How  do 
you  suppose  you  would  get  on  without  a  carriage  ?  " 
asked  her  mother  with  exasperation.  "  You  have  never 
had  so  much  as  a  taste  of  privation  in  any  form.  Your 
suggestion  is  the  acme  of  foolishness." 

"  I  think  I  could  do  something  if  you  would  let  me," 
rejoined  the  girl  as  calmly  as  before.  "  I  think  I  could 
teach  music  pretty  well,  and  keep  house  charmingly. 
If  I  had  any  false  pride  when  we  came  out  here,  the 
past  six  weeks  have  purified  me  of  it.  Will  you  let  me 
try,  mother  ?  I  'm  asking  it  very  seriously." 

"  Certainly  not !  "  hotly.  "  There  are  armies  of 
music  teachers  now,  and  you  would  not  have  a  chance." 

"  I  think  I  could  dress  hair  well,"  remarked  Eloise, 
glancing  at  the  reflection  in  a  mirror  of  her  own  grace 
ful  coiffure. 

"  I  dare  say !  "  responded  Mrs.  Evringham  with 
sarcastic  heat,  "  or  I  'm  sure  you  could  get  a  position 
as  a  waitress.  The  servant  problem  is  growing  worse 
every  year." 

"  I  'd  like  to  be  your  waitress,  mother."  For  the 
first  time  the  girl  lost  her  perfect  poise,  and  the  color 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  25 

fluctuated  in  her  cheek.  She  clasped  her  hands.  "  It 
would  be  heaven  compared  with  the  feeling,  the  sick 
ening,  appalling  suspicion,  that  we  are  becoming  akin 
to  the  adventuresses  we  read  of,  the  pretty,  luxurious 
women  who  live  by  their  wits." 

"  Silence !  "  commanded  Mrs.  Evringham,  her  eyes 
flashing  and  her  effective  black-clothed  figure  drawn 
up. 

Eloise  sighed  again.  "  I  did  n't  expect  to  accomplish 
anything  by  this  talk,"  she  said,  relapsing  into  list- 
lessness. 

"  What  did  you  expect  then  ?  Merely  to  be  disagree 
able?  I  hope  you  may  be  as  successful  in  worthier 
undertakings.  Now  listen.  Some  of  the  plans  you 
have  suggested  at  various  times  might  be  sensible  if 
you  were  a  plain  girl.  Your  beauty  is  as  tangible  an 
asset  as  money  would  be ;  but  beauty  requires  money. 
You  must  have  it.  Your  poor  father  might  have  left  it 
to  you,  but  he  didn't ;  so  you  will  marry  it  —  not  un 
suitably,"  meeting  an  ominous  look  in  her  child's  eyes, 
"  not  without  love  or  under  any  circumstances  to  make 
a  martyr  of  you,  but  according  to  common  sense  ;  and 
as  a  certain  young  man  is  evidently  more  and  more  cer 
tain  of  himself  every  time  he  comes  "  —  she  paused. 

"  You  think  there  is  no  need  for  him  to  grow  more 
certain  of  me  ?  "  asked  Eloise. 

"  You  might  have  saved  us  the  disagreeables  of  this 
interview.  And  one  thing  more,"  impressively,  "you 
evidently  are  not  taking  into  consideration,  perhaps  you 
never  knew,  that  it  was  your  grandfather's  confidence 
in  a  certain  course  which  induced  your  poor  father 
to  take  that  last  fatal  flyer.  Your  grandfather  feels 


26  JEWEL 

—  I  'm  sure  he  feels  —  that  much  reparation  is  due 
us.  The  present  conditions  are  easier  for  him  than  a 
separate  suitable  home  would  be,  therefore "  —  Mrs. 
Evringham  waved  her  hand.  "  It  is  strange,"  she 
added,  "  that  so  young  a  girl  should  not  repose  more 
trust  in  her  mother's  judgment.  And  now  that  we  are 
on  the  subject,  I  wish  you  woukl  make  more  effort  with 
your  grandfather.  Don't  be  so  silent  at  table  and  leave 
all  the  talking  to  me.  A  man  of  his  age  likes  to  have 
merry  young  people  about.  Chat,  create  a  cheerful  at 
mosphere.  He  likes  to  look  at  you,  of  course,  but  you 
have  been  so  quiet  and  lackadaisical  of  late,  it  is  enough 
to  hurt  his  feelings  as  host." 

"He  has  never  shown  any  symptoms  of  anxiety," 
remarked  Eloise. 

"  Well,  he  is  a  very  self-contained  man." 

"  He  is  indeed,  poor  grandfather ;  I  don't  know  how 
you  will  manage,  mother,  when  you  have  to  play  the 
game  of  '  pretend '  all  alone.  He  is  growing  tired  of 
it,  I  can  see.  His  courtesy  is  wearing  very  thin.  I  'm 
sorry  to  make  it  harder  for  you  by  taking  away  what 
must  have  been  a  large  prop  and  support,  but  I  heard 
papa  say  to  himself  more  than  once  in  those  last  sad 
days,  '  If  I  had  only  taken  my  father's  advice.'  ' 

"  Eloise,"  very  earnestly,  "  you  misunderstood,  you 
certainly  misunderstood." 

The  girl  shook  her  head  wearily.  "  No,  alas !  I 
neither  misunderstand  nor  forget,  when  it  would  be 
most  convenient  to  do  so." 

Mrs.  Evringham's  fair  brow  contracted  as  she  re 
garded  her  daughter  with  exasperation.  "  And  you 
are  only  nineteen !  One  would  think  it  was  you  instead 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  27 

of  me  to  whom  the  next  birthday  would  bring  that  de 
tested  forty." 

The  girl  looked  at  her  mother,  whose  youthful  face 
and  figure  betrayed  the  source  of  her  own  heritage  of 
physical  charm. 

"  I  long  ago  gave  up  the  hope  of  ever  again  being 
as  young  as  you  are,"  she  returned  sadly.  "  Oh !  " 
with  a  rare  and  piteous  burst  of  feeling,  "  if  dear  papa 
could  have  stayed  with  us,  and  we  could  have  had  a 
right  somewhere !  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  threw  her  arms  about  the  young 
creature,  welcoming  the  softened  mood.  "  You  know 
I  took  you  right  to  my  own  people,  Eloise,"  she  said 
gently.  "  We  stayed  as  long  as  I  thought  was  right ; 
they  could  n't  afford  to  keep  us."  A  sound  at  the  door 
caused  her  to  turn.  The  erect  form  of  her  father-in-law 
had  just  entered  the  room. 

"  Ah,  good  evening,  father,"  she  said  in  tones  whose 
sadness  was  not  altogether  feigned,  even  though  she 
secretly  rejoiced  that  Eloise  should  for  once  show  such 
opportune  emotion.  "  Pardon  this  little  girl.  She  was 
just  feeling  overwhelmed  with  a  pang  of  homesickness 
for  her  father." 

"  Indeed !  "  returned  Mr.  Evringham.  "  Will  you 
walk  out  ?  Mrs.  Forbes  tells  me  that  dinner  is  served." 

Eloise,  hastily  drawing  her  handkerchief  across  her 
eyes,  passed  the  unbending  figure,  her  cheeks  stinging. 
His  hard  voice  was  in  her  ears. 

That  she  was  not  his  son's  child  hurt  her  now  as 
often  before  in  the  past  two  months,  but  that  he  should 
have  discovered  her  weeping  at  a  moment  when  he 
might  have  been  expected  to  enter  was  a  keen  hurt  to 


28  JEWEL 

her  pride,  and  her  heart  swelled  with  a  suspicion  of  his 
unspoken  thoughts.  She  had  never  been  effusive,  she 
had  never  posed.  He  had  no  right  to  suspect  her. 

With  her  small  head  carried  high  and  her  cheeks 
glowing,  she  passed  him,  following  her  mother,  who 
floated  on  before  with  much  satisfaction.  These  oppor 
tune  tears  shed  by  her  n  on  conforming  child  should 
make  their  stay  good  for  another  two  months  at  least. 

"  You  must  have  had  a  beautiful  ride,  father,"  said 
Mrs.  Evringham  as  they  seated  themselves  at  table. 
She  spoke  in  the  tone,  at  once  assured  and  ingratiating, 
which  she  always  adopted  toward  him.  "  I  noticed 
you  took  an  earlier  start  than  usual." 

The  speaker  had  never  had  the  insight  to  discover 
that  her  father-in-law  was  ungrateful  for  proofs  that  any 
of  his  long-fixed,  solitary  habits  were  now  observed  by 
feminine  eyes. 

"  I  did  take  a  rather  longer  ride  than  usual,"  he 
returned.  "  Mrs.  Forbes,  I  wish  you  would  speak  to  the 
cook  about  the  soup.  It  has  been  served  cool  for  the  last 
two  days." 

Mrs.  Forbes  flushed  as  she  stood  near  his  chair  in 
her  trim  black  gown  and  white  apron. 

"Yes,  sir,"  she  replied,  the  flush  and  quiet  words 
giving  little  indication  of  the  tumult  aroused  within  her 
by  her  employer's  criticism.  To  fail  to  please  Mr. 
Evringham  at  his  meals  was  the  deepest  mortification 
life  held  for  her. 

"  I  'm  sure  it  tastes  very  good,"  said  Mrs.  Evringham 
amiably,  "  although  I  like  a  little  more  salt  than  your 
cook  uses." 

"  You  can   reach  it  I   hope,"  remarked    the   host, 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  29 

casting  a  glance  at  the  dainty  solitaire  salt  and  pepper 
beside  his  daughter's  plate. 

"  But  don't  you  like  it  cooked  in?"  she  asked  sweetly. 

"  Not  when  I  want  to  get  it  out,"  he  answered  shortly. 

"  How  can  mother,  how  can  mother !  "  ,  thought 
Eloise  helplessly. 

"  There  is  decided  spring  in  the  air  to-day,"  said 
Mrs.  Evringham.  "  I  remember  of  old  how  charmingly 
spring  comes  in  the  park." 

"You  have  a  good  memory,"  returned  Mr.  Evring 
ham  dryly. 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  ?  "  asked  the  pretty  widow, 
lifting  large,  innocent  eyes. 

"  It  is  some  years  since  you  accompanied  Lawrence 
in  his  calls  upon  me,  I  believe." 

"  Poor  father !  "  thought  Mrs.  Evringham,  "  how 
unpleasantly  blunt  he  has  grown,  living  here  alone !  " 

"  I  scarcely  realize  it,"  she  returned  suavely.  "  My 
recollection  of  the  park  is  always  so  clear.  It  is  sur 
prising,  is  n't  it,  how  relatives  can  live  as  near  together 
as  we  in  New  York  and  you  out  here  and  see  one  an 
other  so  seldom !  Life  in  New  York,"  sighing,  "  was 
such  a  rush  for  us.  Here  amid  the  rustle  of  the  trees 
it  seems  to  be  scarcely  the  same  world.  Lawrence 
often  said  his  only  lucid  intervals  were  during  the  rides 
he  took  with  Eloise  in  Central  Park.  Do  you  always 
ride  alone,  father  ?  " 

"  Always,"  was  the  prompt  rejoinder,  while  Eloise 
cast  a  glance  full  of  appeal  at  her  mother. 

The  latter  continued  archly,  "  If  you  could  see  Eloise 
on  a  horse  you  would  not  blame  me  for  trying  to  screw 
up  my  courage,  as  I  have  been  doing  for  days  past,  to 


30  JEWEL 

ask  you  if  she  might  take  a  canter  on  Essex  Maid  in 
the  morning,  sometimes,  while  you  are  away.  Fanshaw 
assured  me  that  she  would  be  perfectly  safe." 

Mr.  Evringham's  cold  eyes  stared,  and  then  the 
enormity  of  the  proposition  appeared  to  move  him 
humorously. 

"  Which  maid  did  Fanshaw  say  would  be  safe  ?  "  he 
inquired,  while  Eloise  glowed  with  mortification. 

"  Well,  if  you  think  Eloise  can't  ride,  try  her  some 
time !  "  exclaimed  the  widow  gayly.  It  had  been  a  mat 
ter  of  surprise  and  afterward  of  resentment  that  Mr. 
Evringham  could  remain  deaf  to  her  hints  so  long,  and 
she  had  determined  to  become  frank.  "  Or  else  ask  Dr. 
Ballard,"  she  went  on  ;  "  he  has  very  kindly  provided 
Eloise  with  a  horse  several  times,  but  the  child  likes  a 
solitary  ride,  sometimes,  as  well  as  you  do%" 

The  steely  look  returned  to  the  host's  eyes.  "  No 
one  rides  the  Maid  but  myself,"  he  returned  coldly. 

"  I  beg  you  to  believe,  grandfather,  that  I  don't  wish 
to  ride  her,"  said  Eloise,  her  customary  languor  of 
manner  gone  and  her  voice  hard.  "  Mother  is  more 
ambitious  for  me  than  I  am  for  myself.  I  should  be 
very  much  obliged  if  she  would  allow  me  to  ask  favors 
when  I  want  them." 

Mrs.  Forbes's  lips  were  set  in  a  tight  line  as  she  filled 
Mrs.  Evringham's  glass. 

That  lady's  heart  was  beating  a  little  fast  from 
vexation,  and  also  from  the  knowledge  that  a  time  of 
reckoning  with  her  child  was  coming. 

"  Oh,  very  well,"  she  said  airily.  "  No  wonder  you 
are  careful  of  that  beautiful  creature.  I  caught  Eloise 
with  her  arms  around  the  mare's  neck  the  other  day, 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  31 

and  I  could  n't  help  wishing  for  a  kodak.  You  feed 
her  with  sugar,  don't  you,  Eloise  ?  " 

"  I  hope  not,  I  'm  sure  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Evringham 
sternly. 

"  I  '11  not  do  it  again,  grandfather,"  said  the  girl, 
her  very  ears  burning. 

Mrs.  Evringham  sighed  and  gave  one  Parthian  shot. 
"  The  poor  child  does  love  horses  so,"  she  murmured 
softly. 

The  host  scowled  and  fidgeted  in  his  chair  with  a 
brusque  gesture  to  Mrs.  Forbes  to  remove  the  course. 

"  Harry  has  turned  up  again,"  he  remarked,  to 
change  the  subject. 

"  Really  ?  "  returned  his  daughter-in-law  languidly. 
"  For  how  long  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  He  thinks  it  is  permanent." 

"  He  is  still  in  Chicago  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  a  day  or  two.  He  and  his  wife  sail  for 
Europe  immediately." 

"  Indeed  !  "  with  a  greater  show  of  interest.  Then, 
curiously,  "  Are  you  sending  them,  father  ?  " 

"  Scarcely  !    They  are  going  on  business." 

"  Oh,"  relapsing  into  indifference.  "  They  have  a 
child,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  a  girl.  I  should  think  perhaps  you  might  have 
remembered  it." 

"  I  hardly  see  why,  if  Harry  did  n't  —  a  fact  he 
plainly  showed  by  deserting  the  poor  creature."  The 
insolence  of  the  speaker's  tone  was  scarcely  veiled. 
Her  extreme  disapproval  of  her  father-in-law  sometimes 
welled  to  the  surface  of  her  suave  manner. 

Mr.    Evringham's    thoughts   had   fled    to  Chicago. 


32  JEWEL 

"  Harry  proposed  leaving  the  girl  here  while  they  are 
gone,"  he  said. 

Mrs.  Evringham  straightened  in  her  chair  and  her 
attention  concentrated.  "  With  you?  What  assurance! 
How  like  Harry  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

The  words  were  precisely  those  which  her  host  had 
been  saying  to  himself  ;  but  proceeding  from  her  lips 
they  had  a  strange  effect  upon  him. 

"  You  find  it  so  ?  "  he  asked.  The  clearer  the  pro 
position  became  to  Mrs.  Evringham's  consciousness  the 
more  she  resented  it.  To  have  the  child  in  the  house 
not  only  would  menace  her  ease  and  comfort,  but 
meant  a  possibility  that  the  grandfather  might  take 
an  interest  in  Harry's  daughter  which  would  disturb 
Eloise's  chances. 

"  Of  course  it  does.  I  call  it  simply  presumptuous," 
she  declared  with  emphasis. 

"  After  all,  Harry  has  some  rights,"  rejoined  Mr. 
Evringham  slowly. 

"  His  wife  is  a  dressmaker,"  went  on  the  other. 
"  I  had  it  directly  from  a  Chicago  friend.  Harry  has 
scarcely  been  with  the  child  since  she  was  born.  And  to 
saddle  a  little  stranger  like  that  on  you !  Now  Eloise 
and  her  father  were  inseparable." 

There  was  an  ominous  glitter  in  Mr.  Evringham's 
eyes.  "  Eloise's  father  !  "  he  returned  slowly.  "  I  did 
not  know  that  she  remembered  him." 

The  hurt  of  his  tone  and  words  sank  deep  into  the 
heart  of  the  girl,  but  she  looked  up  courageously. 

"  Your  son  was  my  father  in  every  best  sense,"  she 
said.  "  We  were  inseparable.  You  must  have  known 
it." 


MOTHER  AND  DAUGHTER  33 

"You  appeared  to  be  separable  when  your  father 
made  his  visits  to  Bel-Air  Park,"  was  the  rejoinder. 
"  Pardon  me  if  I  knew  very  little  of  what  took  place 
in  his  household.  A  telegraph  blank,  please,  Mrs. 
Forbes,  and  tell  Zeke  to  be  ready  to  go  to  the  office." 

There  was  a  vital  tone  in  the  usually  dry  voice. 
Mrs.  Evringham  looked  apprehensively  at  her  daughter, 
but  Eloise  gave  her  no  answering  glance  ;  her  eyes  were 
downcast  and  her  pretense  of  eating  continued,  while 
her  pulses  beat. 


CHAPTER  IV 

FATHER   AND   SON 

WHEN  later  they  were  alone,  the  girl  looked  at  her 
mother,  her  eyes  luminous. 

"  You  see,"  she  began  rather  breathlessly,  "  even  you 
must  see,  he  is  beginning  to  drive  us  away." 

"  I  do  hope,  Eloise,  you  are  not  going  to  indulge  in 
any  heroics  over  this  affair,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham, 
who  had  braced  herself  to  meet  an  attack.  "  Does  the 
unpleasant  creature  suppose  we  would  stay  with  him  if 
we  were  not  obliged  to  ?  " 

"  If  we  are  obliged  to,  which  I  don't  admit,  need 
you  demand  further  favors  than  food  and  shelter? 
How  could  you  speak  of  Essex  Maid  !  How  can  you 
know  in  your  inmost  heart,  as  you  do,  that  we  are  eat 
ing  the  bread  of  charity,  and  then  ask  for  the  apple  of 
his  eye  !  "  exclaimed  Eloise  desperately. 

"  Go  away  with  your  bread  and  apples,"  responded 
Mrs.  Evringham  flippantly.  "  I  have  a  real  worry 
now  that  that  wretched  little  cousin  of  yours  is  com- 
ing." 

"  She  is  not  my  cousin  please  remember,"  responded 
the  girl  bitterly.  "  Mr.  Evringham  reminded  us  of  that 
to-night." 

"  Now  don't  you  begin  calling  him  Mr.  Evringham  !  " 
protested  her  mother.  "  You  don't  want  to  take  any 


FATHER  AND  SON  35 

notice  of  the  man's  absurdities.  You  will  only  make 
matters  worse." 

"  No,  I  shall  go  on  saying  grandfather  for  the  little 
while  we  stay.  Otherwise,  he  would  know  his  words 
were  rankling.  It  will  be  a  little  while  ?  Oh  mother  !  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  pushed  the  pleading  hand  away. 
"  I  can't  tell  how  long  it  will  be  !  "  she  returned  impa 
tiently.  "  We  are  simply  helpless  until  your  father's 
affairs  are  settled.  I  thought  I  had  told  you  that, 
Eloise.  He  worshiped  you,  child,  and  no  matter  what 
that  old  curmudgeon  says,  Lawrence  would  wish  us  to 
remain  under  his  protection  until  we  see  our  way  clear." 

"  Won't  you  have  a  business  talk  with  him,  so  we 
can  know  what  we  have  to  look  forward  to  ?  "  The 
girl's  voice  was  unsteady. 

"  I  will  when  the  right  time  comes,  Eloise.  Can't 
you  trust  your  mother  ?  Is  n't  it  enough  that  we  have 
lost  our  home,  our  carriages,  all  our  comforts  and  luxu 
ries,  through  this  man's  bad  judgment  " 

"  You  will  cling  to  that !  "  despairingly. 

"  And  have  had  to  come  out  to  this  Sleepy  Hollow  of 
a  place,  where  life  means  mere  existence,  and  be  so  poor 
that  the  carfare  into  New  York  is  actually  a  consider 
ation  !  I  'm  quite  satisfied  with  our  martyrdom  as  it  is, 
without  pinching  and  grinding  as  we  should  have  to  do 
to  live  elsewhere." 

"  Then  you  don't  mean  to  attempt  to  escape  ?  "  re 
turned  Eloise  in  alarm. 

"  Hush,  hush,  Goosie.  We  will  escape  all  in  good 
time  if  we  don't  succeed  in  taming  the  bear.  As  it  is, 
I  have  to  work  single  handed,"  dropping  into  a  tone  of 
reproach.  "  You  are  no  help  at  all.  You  might  as 


36  JEWEL 

well  be  a  simpering  wax  dummy  out  of  a  shop  window. 
I  would  have  been  ashamed  at  your  age  if  I  could  not 
have  subjugated  any  man  alive.  We  might  have  had 
him  at  our  feet  weeks  ago  if  you  had  made  an  effort." 

"  No,  no,  mother,"  sadly.  "  I  saw  when  we  first 
came  how  effusiveness  impressed  him,  and  I  tried  to 
behave  so  as  to  strike  a  balance  —  that  is,  after  I  found 
that  we  were  here  on  sufferance  and  not  as  welcome 
guests." 

"  Pshaw !  You  can't  tell  what  such  a  hermit  is  think 
ing,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham.  "  It  is  the  best  thing 
that  could  happen  to  him  to  have  us  here.  Dr.  Ballard 
said  so  only  to-day.  What  is  troubling  me  now  is  this 
child  of  Harry's.  I  was  sure  by  father's  tone  when  he 
first  spoke  of  her  that  he  would  not  even  consider  such 
an  imposition." 

"  I  think  he  did  feel  so,"  returned  Eloise,  her  manner 
quiet  again.  "  That  was  an  example  of  the  way  you 
overreach  yourself.  The  word  presumption  on  your 
lips  applied  to  uncle  Harry  determined  grandfather  to 
let  the  child  come." 

"  You  think  he  really  has  sent  for  her  then !  "  ex 
claimed  Mrs.  Evringham.  "  You  think  that  is  what 
the  telegram  meant !  I  'm  sure  of  it,  too."  Then  after 
a  minute's  exasperated  thought,  "  I  believe  you  are 
right.  He  is  just  contrary  enough  for  that.  If  I  had 
urged  him  to  let  the  little  barbarian  come,  he  could  n't 
have  been  induced  to  do  so.  That  was  n't  clever  of 
me  !  "  The  speaker  made  the  admission  in  a  tone 
which  implied  that  in  general  her  cleverness  was  un 
questioned.  "  Well,  I  hope  she  will  worry  him  out  of 
his  senses,  and  I  don't  think  there  is  much  doubt  of  it. 


FATHER  AND  SON  37 

It  may  turn  out  all  for  the  best,  Eloise,  after  all,  and 
lead  him  to  appreciate  us."  Mrs.  Evringham  cast  a 
glance  at  the  mirror  and  patted  her  waved  hair.  "  And 
yet  I  'm  anxious,  very  anxious.  He  might  take  a  fancy 
to  the  girl,"  she  added  thoughtfully. 

"  I  'm  such  a  poor-spirited  creature,"  remarked 
Eloise. 

"  What  now  ?  " 

"  I  ought  to  be  strong  enough  to  leave  you  since  you 
will  not  come ;  to  leave  this  roof  and  earn  my  own 
living,  some  way,  any  way  ;  but  I  'm  too  much  of  a 
coward." 

"  I  should  hope  so,"  returned  her  mother  briefly. 
"  You  'd  soon  become  one  if  you  were  n't  at  starting. 
Girls  bred  to  luxury,  as  you  have  been,  must  just  con 
trive  to  live  well  somehow.  They  can't  stand  anything 
else." 

"  Nonsense,  mother,"  quietly.  "  They  can.  They 
do." 

"  Yes,  in  books  I  know  they  do." 

"  No,  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction.  They  do.  I 
have  been  looking  for  that  sort  of  stamina  in  myself 
for  weeks,  but  I  have  n't  found  it.  It  is  a  cruel  wrong 
to  a  girl  not  to  teach  her  to  support  herself." 

"  My  dear  !  You  were  going  to  college.  You  know 
you  would  have  gone  had  it  not  been  for  your  poor 
father's  misfortunes." 

Eloise's  eyes  filled  again  at  the  remembrance  of  the 
young,  gay  man  who  had  been  her  boon  companion 
since  her  babyhood,  and  at  the  memory  of  those  last  sad 
days,  when  she  knew  he  had  agonized  over  her  future 
even  more  than  over  that  of  his  volatile  wife. 


38  JEWEL 

"  My  dear,  as  I  've  told  you  before,  a  girl  as  pretty 
as  you  are  should  know  that  fortune  cannot  be  unkind, 
nor  the  sea  of  life  too  rough.  In  each  of  the  near 
waves  of  it  you  can  see  a  man's  head  swimming  toward 
you.  You  don't  know  the  trouble  I  have  had  already 
in  silencing  those  who  wished  to  speak  before  you  were 
old  enough.  They  could  any  of  them  be  summoned 
now  with  a  word.  Let  me  see.  There  is  Mr.  Derwent 
-  Mr.  Follansbee  —  Mr.  Weeks  " 

"  Hush,  mother!  "  ejaculated  the  girl  in  disgust. 

"  Exactly.  I  knew  you  would  say  they  were  too  old, 
or  too  bald,  or  too  short,  or  too  fat.  I  've  been  a  girl 
myself.  Of  course  there  is  Nat  Bonnell,  and  a  lot 
more  little  waves  and  ripples  like  him,  but  they  always 
were  out  of  the  question,  and  now  they  are  ten  times 
more  so.  That  is  the  reason,  Eloise,"  the  mother's 
voice  became  impressive  to  the  verge  of  solemnity, 
"  why  I  feel  that  Dr.  Ballard  is  almost  a  providence." 

The  girl's  clear  eyes  were  reflective.  "  Nat  Bonnell 
is  a  wave  who  would  n't  remember  a  girl  who  had  slipped 
out  of  the  swim." 

"  Very  wise  of  him,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham  em  • 
phatically.  "  He  can't  afford  to.  Nat  is  —  is  —  a  — 
decorative  creature,  just  as  you  are,  —  decorative.  He 
must  make  it  pay,  poor  boy." 

Meanwhile  Mrs.  Forbes  had  sought  her  son  in  the 
barn.  He  and  she  had  had  their  supper  in  time  for  her 
to  be  ready  to  wait  at  dinner. 

"  Something  doing,  something  doing,"  murmured 
Zeke  as  he  heard  the  impetuosity  of  her  approaching; 
step. 

"  That  soup  was  hot !  "  she  exclaimed  defiantly. 


FATHER  AND  SON  39 

"  Somebody  scald  you,  ma  ?  I  can  do  him  up,  who 
ever  he  is,"  said  Zeke,  catching  up  a  whip  and  exe 
cuting  a  threatening  dance  around  the  dimly  lighted 
barn. 

His  mother's  snapping  eyes  looked  beyond  him. 
"  He  said  it  was  cold ;  but  it  was  only  because  he  was 
distracted.  What  do  you  suppose  those  people  are  up 
to  now  ?  Trying  to  get  Essex  Maid  for  Mamzell  to 
ride !  " 

Zeke  stopped  in  his  mad  career  and  returned  his 
mother's  stare  for  a  silent  moment.  "  And  not  a  dun 
geon  on  the  place  probably !  "  he  exclaimed  at  last. 
"  Just  like  some  folks'  shiftlessness." 

"  They  asked  it.  They  asked  Mr.  Evringham  if 
that  girl  could  n't  'ride  Essex  Maid  while  he  was  in  the 
city!" 

'Zekiel  lifted  his  eyebrows  politely.  "  Where  are 
their  remains  to  be  interred  ?  "  he  inquired  with  con 
cern. 

"  Well,  not  in  this  family  vault,  you  may  be  sure. 
He  gave  it  to  them  to-night  for  a  fact."  Mrs.  Forbes 
smiled  triumphantly.  "  '  I  did  n't  know  Eloise  remem 
bered  her  father,'  "  she  mimicked.  "  I  '11  bet  that  got 
under  their  skin  !  " 

"  Dear  parent,  you  're  excited,"  remarked  Zeke. 

She  brought  her  reminiscent  gaze  back  to  rest  upon 
her  son.  "  Get  your  coat  quick,  'Zekiel.  Here  's  the 
telegram.  Take  the  car  that  passes  the  park  gate,  and 
stop  at  the  station.  That 's  the  nearest  place." 

Ezekiel  obediently  struggled  into  the  coat  hanging 
conveniently  near.  "  What  does  the  telegram  say  ?  — 
'  Run  away,  little  girl,  the  ogre  is  n't  hungry  '  ?  " 


40  JEWEL 

"  Not  much  !  She  's  coming.  He  's  sending  for  the 
brat." 

"  Poor  brat !    How  did  it  happen  ?  " 

"Just  some  more  of  my  lady's  doings,"  answered 
Mrs.  Forbes  angrily.  "  Of  course  she  had  to  put  in 
her  oar  and  exasperate  Mr.  Evringham  until  he  did  it 
to  spite  her." 

"Cutting  off  his  own  nose  to  spite  his  face,  eh?" 
asked  Zeke,  taking  the  slip  of  paper. 

"  Yes,  and  mine.  It 's  going  to  come  heavy  on  me. 
I  could  have  shaken  that  woman  with  her  airs  and 
graces.  Catch  her  or  Mamzell  lifting  their  hands  !  " 

"  Yet  they  want  her,  do  they  ?  " 

"  No,  Stupid  !  That 's  why  she  's  coming.  Can't  you 
understand  ?  " 

"  Blessed  if  I  can,"  returned  the  boy  as  he  left  the 
barn  ;  "  but  I  know  one  thing,  I  pity  the  kid." 

Mr.  Evringham  received  a  prompt  answer  to  his  mes 
sage.  His  son  appointed,  as  a  place  of  meeting,  the 
downtown  hotel  where  he  and  his  wife  purposed  spend 
ing  the  night  before  sailing. 

Father  and  son  had  not  met  for  years,  and  Mr. 
Evringham  debated  a  few  minutes  whether  to  take  the 
gastronomic  and  social  risk  of  dining  with  Harry  en 
famille  at  the  noisy  hotel  above  mentioned,  or  to  have 
dinner  in  assured  comfort  at  his  club  —  finally  deciding 
on  the  latter  course. 

It  was,  therefore,  nearly  nine  o'clock  before  his  card 
was  presented  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harry,  to  whom  it 
brought  considerable  relief  of  mind,  and  they  hastened 
down  to  the  dingy  parlor  with  alacrity. 


FATHER  AND  SON  41 

"  You  see  we  thought  you  might  accept  our  invitation 
to  dinner,"  said  Plarry  heartily,  as  he  grasped  his  par 
ent's  passive  hand  ;  "  but  your  business  hours  are  so 
short,  I  dare  say  you  have  been  at  home  since  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon."  As  he  spoke  the  hard  lines 
of  his  father's  impassive  face  smote  him  with  a  thou 
sand  associations,  many  of  them  bringing  remorse.  He 
wondered  how  much  his  own  conduct  had  had  to  do 
with  graving  them  so  deeply. 

His  wife's  observant  eyes  were  scanning  this  guard 
ian  of  her  child  from  the  crown  of  his  immaculate  head 
to  the  toes  of  his  correct  patent  leathers.  His  expres 
sionless  eyes  turned  to  her.  "  This  is  your  wife  ?  "  he 
asked,  again  offering  the  passive  hand. 

"Yes,  father,  this  is  Julia,"  responded  Harry 
proudly.  "  I  'm  sorry  the  time  is  so  short.  I  do  want 
you  to  know  her." 

The  young  man's  face  grew  eloquent. 

"  That  is  a  pleasure  to  come,"  responded  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham  mechanically.  He  turned  stiffly  and  cast  a 
glance  about.  "You  brought  your  daughter,  I  pre 
sume  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  answered  Mrs.  Evringham.  "  Harry 
was  so  glad  to  receive  your  permission.  We  had  made 
arrangements  for  her  provisionally  with  friends  in 
Chicago,  but  we  were  desirous  that  she  should  have 
this  opportunity  to  see  her  father's  home  and  know 
you." 

Mr.  Evringham  thought  with  regret  of  those  friends 
in  Chicago.  Many  times  in  the  last  two  days  he  had 
deeply  repented  allowing  himself  to  be  exasperated 
into  thus  committing  himself. 


42  JEWEL 

"  Do  sit  down,  father,"  said  Harry,  as  his  wife  seated 
herself  in  the  nearest  chair. 

Mr.  Evringham  hesitated  before  complying.  "  Well," 
he  said  perfunctorily,  "  you  have  gone  into  something 
that  promises  well,  eh  Harry  ?  " 

"  It  looks  that  way.  I  'm  chiefly  occupied  these 
days  in  being  thankful."  The  young  man  smiled  with 
an  extraordinary  sweetness  of  expression,  which  trans 
figured  his  face,  and  which  his  father  remembered  well 
as  always  promising  much  and  performing  nothing. 
"  I  might  spend  a  lot  of  time  crying  over  spilt  milk, 
but  Julia  says  I  must  n't,"  -  —  he  glanced  across  at  his 
wife,  whose  dark  eyes  smiled  back,  —  "  and  what  Julia 
says  goes.  I  intend  to  spend  a  year  or  two  doing  instead 
of  talking." 

"  It  will  answer  better,"  remarked  his  father. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  Harry's  voice  grew  still  more  earnest. 
"  And  by  that  time,  perhaps,  I  can  express  my  regret  to 
you,  for  things  done  and  things  left  undone,  with  more 
convincingness." 

The  older  man  made  a  slight  gesture  of  rejection 
with  one  well-kept  hand.  "  Let  bygones  be  bygones," 
he  returned  briefly. 

"  When  I  think,"  pursued  Harry,  his  impulsive 
manner  in  strange  contrast  to  that  of  his  listener,  "  that 
if  I  had  been  behaving  myself  all  this  time,  I  might 
have  seen  dear  old  Lawrence  again  !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  kept  silence. 

"  How  are  Madge  and  Eloise  ?  I  thought  perhaps 
Madge  might  come  in  and  meet  us  at  the  train." 

"  They  are  in  the  best  of  health,  thank  you.  Eh —  a 
—  1  think  if  you  '11  call  your  daughter  now  we  will  go. 


FATHER  AND  SON  43 

It 's  rather  a  long  ride,  you  know.  No  express  trains 
at  this  hour.  When  you  return  we  will  have  more  of 
a  visit." 

Harry  and  his  wife  exchanged  a  glance.  "  Why, 
Jewel  is  asleep,"  answered  the  young  man  after  a  pause. 
"  She  was  so  sleepy  she  could  n't  hold  her  eyes  open." 

"  You  mean  you  've  let  her  go  to  bed  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Evringham,  with  a  not  very  successful  attempt  to  veil 
his  surprise  and  annoyance. 

"  Why  —  yes.  We  supposed  she  would  see  us  off, 
you  know." 

"  Your  memory  is  rather  short,  it  strikes  me,"  re 
turned  his  father.  "  You  sail  at  eight  A.  M .,  I  believe. 
Did  you  think  I  could  get  in  from  Bel-Air  at  that 
hour?" 

"  No.  I  thought  you  would  naturally  remain  in  the 
city  over  night.  You  used  to  stay  in  rather  frequently, 
didn't  you?" 

"  I  've  not  done  so  for  five  years  ;  but  you  could  n't 
know  that.  Is  it  out  of  the  question  to  dress  the  child 
again  ?  I  hope  she  is  too  healthy  to  be  disturbed  by  a 
trifle  like  that." 

Mrs.  Evringham  cast  a  startled  look  at  her  father-in- 
law.  "  It  would  disappoint  Jewel  very  much  not  to  see 
us  off,"  she  returned. 

Mr.  Evringham  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Let  it  go 
then.  Let  it  go,"  he  said  quickly. 

Harry's  plain  face  had  grown  concerned.  "  Is  Mrs. 
Forbes  with  you  still  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  yes.  I  could  n't  keep  house  without  Mrs. 
Forbes.  Well,"  rising,  "  if  you  young  people  will  ex 
cuse  me,  I  believe  I  will  go  to  the  club  and  turn  in." 


44  JEWEL 

"  Could  n't  you  stand  it  here  one  night,  do  you 
think  ?  "  asked  Harry,  rising.  "  The  club  is  rather  far 
uptown  for  such  an  early  start." 

"No.  I'll  be  on  hand.  I 'ra  used  to  rising  early 
for  a  canter.  I  '11  take  it  with  a  cab  horse  this  time. 
That  will  be  all  the  difference. "  And  with  this  attempt 
at  jocularity,  Mr.  Evringham  shook  hands  once  more 
and  departed,  swallowing  his  ill-humor  as  best  he  could. 
Any  instincts  of  the  family  man  which  might  once  have 
reigned  in  him  had  long  since  been  inhibited.  This 
episode  was  a  cruel  invasion  upon  his  bachelor  habits. 

Left  alone,  Harry  and  his  wife  without  a  word  as 
cended  to  their  room  and  with  one  accord  approached 
the  little  bed  in  the  corner  where  their  child  lay  asleep. 

The  man  took  his  wife's  hand.  "  I  've  done  it  now, 
Julia,"  he  said  dejectedly.  "  It 's  my  confounded 
optimism  again." 

"  Your  optimism  is  all  right,"  she  returned,  smooth 
ing  his  hand  gently,  though  her  heart  was  beating  fast, 
and  the  vision  of  her  father-in-law,  with  his  elegant  fig 
ure  and  cold  eyes,  was  weighing  upon  her  spirit. 

Harry  looked  long  on  the  plain  little  sleeping  face, 
so  like  his  own  in  spite  of  its  exquisite  child-color 
ing,  and  bending,  touched  the  tossed,  straight,  flaxen 
hair. 

"  We  could  n't  take  her,  I  suppose  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No,"  replied  the  yearning  mother  quietly.  "  We 
have  prayed  over  it.  We  must  know  that  all  will  be 
right." 

"  His  bark  is  worse  than  his  bite,"  said  Harry  doubt 
fully.  "  It  always  was  ;  and  Mrs.  Forbes  is  there." 

"  You  say  she  is  a  kind  sort  of  woman  ?  " 


FATHER  AND  SON  45 

"  Why,  I  suppose  so,"  uncertainly.  "  I  never  had 
much  to  do  with  her." 

"  And  your  sister  ?  Is  n't  it  very  strange  that  she 
did  n't  come  in  to  meet  us  ?  I  was  so  certain  I  should 
put  Jewel  into  her  hands  I  feel  a  little  bewildered." 

"  You  're  a  trump  !  "  ejaculated  Harry  hotly,  "  and 
you  've  married  into  a  family  where  they  're  scarce. 
Madge  might  have  met  us  at  the  train,  at  least." 

"Perhaps  she  is  very  sad  over  her  loss,"  suggested 
Julia. 

"  In  the  best  of  health.  Father  said  so.  Oh  well, 
she  never  was  anything  but  a  big  butterfly  and  Eloise 
a  little  one.  I  remember  the  last  time  I  saw  the  child, 
a  pretty  fairy  with  her  long  pink  silk  stockings.  She 
must  have  been  just  about  the  age  of  Jewel." 

The  mother  stooped  over  the  little  bed  and  the  dingy 
room  looked  pleasanter  for  her  smile.  "  Jewel  has  n't 
any  pink  silk  stockings,"  she  murmured,  and  kissed  the 
warm  rose  of  the  round  cheek. 

The  little  girl  stirred  and  opened  her  eyes,  at  first 
vaguely,  then  with  a  start. 

"  Is  it  time  for  the  boat  ? "  she  asked,  trying  to 
rise. 

Her  father  smoothed  her  hair.  "  No,  time  to  go  to 
sleep  again.  We  're  just  going  to  bed.  Good-night, 
Jewel."  He  stooped  to  kiss  her,  and  her  arms  met 
around  his  neck. 

"  It  was  an  April  fool,  was  n't  it  ?  "  she  murmured 
sleepily,  and  was  unconscious  again. 

The  mother  hid  her  face  for  a  moment  on  her  hus 
band's  shoulder.  "  Help  me  to  feel  that  we  're  doing 
right,"  she  whispered,  with  a  catch  in  her  breath. 


46  JEWEL 

"  As  if  I  could  help  you,  Julia ! "  he  returned 
humbly. 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  can,  dear."  She  withdrew  from  his 
embrace,  and  going  to  the  dresser,  took  down  her  hair. 
The  smiling  face  of  a  doll  looked  up  at  her  from  the 
neighboring  chair,  where  it  was  sitting  bolt  upright. 
Her  costume  was  fresh  from  the  modiste,  and  her  feet, 
though  hopelessly  pigeon-toed,  were  encased  in  bronze 
boots  of  a  freshness  which  caught  the  dim  gaslight 
with  a  golden  sheen. 

Mrs.  Evringham  smiled  through  her  moist  eyes. 

"  Well,  Jewel  was  sleepy.  She  forgot  to  undress 
Anna  Belle,"  she  said. 

Letting  her  hair  fall  about  her  like  a  veil,  she  caught 
up  the  doll  and  pressed  it  to  her  heart  impulsively. 
"  You  are  going  to  stay  with  her,  Anna  Belle  !  I  envy 
you,  I  envy  you !  "  she  whispered.  An  irrepressible 
tear  fell  on  the  sumptuous  trimming  of  the  little  hat. 
"  Be  good  to  her ;  comfort  her,  comfort  her,  little  dolly." 
Hastily  wiping  her  eyes,  she  turned  to  her  husband, 
still  holding  the  doll.  "  We  shall  have  to  be  very 
careful,  Harry,  in  the  morning.  If  we  are  harboring 
one  wrong  or  fearful  thought,  we  must  not  let  Jewel 
know  it." 

"  Oh,  I  wish  it  were  over !  I  wish  the  next  month 
were  over !  "  he  replied  restively. 


CHAPTER  V 

BON    VOYAGE 

AT  the  dock  next  morning  the  scene  was  one  of  the 
usual  confusion.  The  sailing  time  was  drawing  near 
and  Mr.  Evringham  had  not  appeared. 

Harry,  with  his  little  girl's  hand  in  his,  stood  at  the 
foot  of  the  gang  plank,  peering  at  every  newcomer  and 
growing  more  anxious  every  moment.  Jewel  occupied 
herself  in  throwing  kisses  to  her  mother,  who  stood  at 
the  rail  far  above,  never  taking  her  eyes  from  the  little 
figure  in  the  blue  sailor  suit. 

The  child  noted  her  father's  set  lips  and  the  con 
centrated  expression  of  his  eyes. 

"  If  grandpa  does  n't  come  what  shall  I  do  ?  "  she 
asked  without  anxiety. 

"  You  '11  go  to  England,"  was  the  prompt  response. 

"  Without  my  trunk !  "  returned  the  child  in  protest. 

Her  father  looked  again  at  the  watch  he  held  in  his 
hand.  The  order  to  go  ashore  was  sending  all  visitors 
down  the  gang  plank.  "  By  George,  I  guess  you  're 
going,  too,"  he  muttered  between  his  teeth,  when  sud 
denly  his  father's  tall  form  came  striding  through  the 
crowd.  Mr.  Evringham  was  carrying  a  long  paste 
board  box,  and  seemed  breathless. 

"  Horse  fell  down.  Devil  of  a  time !  Roses  for 
your  wife." 


48  JEWEL 

Harry  grasped  the  box,  touched  his  father's  hand, 
kissed  the  child,  and  strode  up  the  plank  amid  the 
frowns  of  officials. 

Jewel's  eager  eyes  followed  him,  then,  as  he  disap 
peared,  lifted  again  to  her  mother,  who  smiled  and 
waved  her  hand  to  Mr.  Evringham.  The  latter  raised 
his  hat  and  took  the  occasion  to  wipe  his  heated  brow. 
He  was  irritated  through  and  through.  The  morning 
had  been  a  chapter  of  accidents.  Even  the  roses,  which 
he  had  ordered  the  night  before,  had  proved  to  be  the 
wrong  sort. 

The  suspense  of  the  last  fifteen  minutes  had  been  a 
distressing  wrong  to  put  upon  any  man.  He  had  now 
before  him  the  prospect  of  caring  for  a  strange  child, 
of  taking  her  out  of  town  at  an  hour  when  he  should 
have  been  coming  into  it.  She  would  probably  cry. 
Very  well ;  if  she  did  he  determined  on  the  instant  to 
ride  out  to  Bel- Air  in  the  smoking  car,  although  he  de 
tested  its  odors  and  uncleanness.  The  whole  situation 
was  enormous.  What  a  fool  he  had  been,  and  what 
an  intelligent  woman  was  Mrs.  Forbes  !  She  had  seen 
from  the  first  the  inappropriateness,  the  impossibility, 
of  the  whole  proposition.  His  attention  was  attracted 
to  the  fact  that  the  small  figure  at  his  side  was  hopping 
up  and  down  with  excitement. 

"  There  's  father,  there  's  father !  "  she  cried,  as 
Harry  joined  his  wife  at  the  rail  and  they  lifted  the 
wealth  of  roses  from  the  box  and  waved  them. 

"  We  've  wronged  him,  Harry ! "  exclaimed  Julia, 
trying  to  see  the  little  face  below  through  her  misty 
eyes.  "  How  I  love  him  for  bringing  me  these  sweet 
things !  It  gives  me  such  a  different  feeling  about 
him." 


BON  VOYAGE  49 

"  Oh,  father  would  as  soon  forget  his  breakfast  as 
roses  for  a  woman  he  was  seeing  off,"  returned  Harry 
without  enthusiasm,  while  he  waved  his  hat  energeti 
cally. 

The  steamer  pulled  out.  The  faces  in  the  crowd 
mingled  and  changed  places. 

"  I  've  lost  them,  I  've  lost  them !  "  cried  Julia.  "  Oh, 
where  are  they,  Harry  ?  " 

"  Over  there  near  the  corner.  I  can  see  father.  It 's 
all  right,  dear,"  choking  a  little.  "  Jewel  was  skipping 
and  laughing  a  minute  ago.  It  will  only  be  a  few 
weeks,  but  confound  it,"  violently,  "  next  time  we  '11 
take  her ! " 

Julia  buried  her  face  in  the  roses,  on  which  twinkled 
a  sudden  dew,  and  tried  to  gather  promise  from  their 
sweet  breath. 

Jewel  strained  her  eyes  to  follow  the  now  indistin 
guishable  forms  on  the  lofty  deck,  and  her  grandfather 
looked  down  at  the  small  figure  in  the  sailor  suit,  the 
short  thick  pigtails  of  flaxen  hair  tied  with  large  bows 
of  ribbon,  and  the  doll  clasped  in  one  arm.  At  last 
the  child  turned  her  head  and  looked  up,  and  their 
eyes  met  for  the  first  time. 

"  Jove,  she  does  look  like  Harry  ! "  muttered  Mr. 
Evringham,  and  even  as  he  spoke  the  plain  little  face 
was  illumined  with  the  smile  he  knew,  that  surpass 
ingly  sweet  smile  which  promised  so  much  and  per 
formed  nothing. 

The  child  studied  him  with  open,  innocent  curi 
osity. 

"  I  can't  believe  it 's  you,"  she  said  at  last,  in  a  voice 
light  and  winning,  a  voice  as  sweet  as  the  smile. 


50  JEWEL 

"  I  don't  wonder.  I  don't  quite  know  myself  thig 
morning,"  he  replied  brusquely. 

"  We  have  a  picture  of  you,  but  it 's  a  long-ago  one, 
and  I  thought  by  this  time  you  would  be  old,  and  - 
and  bent  over,  you  know,  the  way  grandpas  are." 

Even  in  that  place  of  drays  and  at  eight  o'clock  A.  M. 
these  words  fell  not  disagreeably  upon  irritated  ears. 

"  I  think  myself  Nature  did  not  intend  me  to  be  a 
grandpa,"  he  replied. 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  're  just  the  right  kind,"  returned  the 
child  hastily  and  confidently.  "  Strong  and  —  and 
handsome." 

Mr.  Evringham  looked  at  her  in  amazement.  "  The 
little  rascal !  "  he  thought.  "  Has  she  been  coached  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  we  may  get  away  from  here  now,"  he 
said  aloud.  "  There  's  nothing  more  to  wait  for." 

"  Did  n't  the  roses  make  mother  happy  ?  "  asked  the 
little  girl,  trotting  along  beside  his  long  strides.  "  I 
think  it  was  wonderful  for  you  to  bring  them  so  early 
in  the  morning." 

Mr.  Evringham  summoned  a  cab. 

"  Oh,  are  we  going  in  a  carriage  ? "  cried  Jewel, 
highly  pleased.  "  But  I  must  n't  forget,  grandpa, 
there  's  something  father  told  me  I  must  give  you  the 
first  thing.  Will  you  take  Anna  Belle  a  minute, 
please  ? "  and  Mr.  Evringham  found  himself  holding 
the  doll  fiercely  by  one  leg  while  small  hands  worked 
at  the  catch  of  a  very  new  little  leather  side-bag. 

At  last  Jewel  produced  a  brass  square. 

"  Oh,  your  trunk  check."  Mr.  Evringham  ex 
changed  the  doll  for  it  with  alacrity.  "  Get  in."  He 
held  open  the  cab  door. 


BON  VOYAGE  51 

Jewel  obeyed,  but  not  without  some  misgivings  when 
her  guardian  so  coolly  pocketed  the  check. 

"Yes,  it's  for  my  trunk,"  she  replied  when  her 
grandfather  was  beside  her  and  they  began  rattling 
over  the  stones.  "I  have  a  checked  silk  dress,"  she 
added  softly,  after  a  pause.  It  were  well  to  let  him 
know  the  value  of  her  baggage. 

"  Have  you  indeed  ?  How  old  are  you,  Julia  ?  Your 
name  is  Julia,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  my  name  's  Julia,  but  so  is  mother's,  and 
they  call  me  Jewel.  I  'm  nearly  nine,  grandpa." 

"  H'm.     Time  flies,"  was  the  brief  response. 

Jewel  looked  out  of  the  cab  window  in  the  noisy  si 
lence  that  followed.  At  last  her  voice  was  raised  to 
sound  through  the  clatter.  "  I  suppose  my  trunk  is 
somewhere  else,"  she  said  suggestively. 

"  Yes,  your  trunk  will  reach  home  all  right,  plaid 
silk  and  all." 

Jewel  smiled,  and  lifting  the  doll  she  let  her  look  out 
the  window  upon  the  uninviting  prospect.  "  Anna 
Belle's  clothes  are  in  the  trunk,  too,"  she  added,  turn 
ing  and  speaking  confidentially. 

"  Whose  ?"  asked  Mr.  Evringham,  startled.  "  There 's 
no  one  else  coming,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Why,  this  is  Anna  Belle,"  returned  the  child, 
laughing  and  lifting  the  bisque  beauty  so  that  the  full 
radiance  of  her  smile  beamed  upon  her  companion. 
"  That 's  your  great-grandfather,  dearie,  that  I  've  told 
you  about,"  she  said  patronizingly.  "  We  've  been  so 
excited  the  last  few  days  since  we  knew  we  were  com 
ing,"  looking  again  at  Mr.  Evringham.  "  I've  told 
Anna  Belle  all  about  beautiful  Bel- Air  Park,  and  the 


52  JEWEL 

big  house,  and  big  trees,  and  the  ravine,  and  the  brook. 
Is  n't  it  nice,"  joyfully,  "  that  it  does  n't  rain  to-day, 
and  we  shall  see  it  in  the  sunshine  ?  " 

"  Rain  would  have  made  it  more  disagreeable  cer 
tainly,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham,  congratulating  him 
self  that  he  was  escaping  that  further  rain  of  tears 
which  he  had  dreaded.  "  It  is  a  good  day  for  your 
father  and  mother  to  set  out  on  their  trip,"  he  added. 

"  Yes,  and  they  're  only  to  be  gone  six  little  weeks," 
returned  Jewel,  smoothing  her  doll's  boa  ;  "  and  I  'm 
to  have  this  lovely  visit,  and  I  'm  to  write  them  very 
often,  and  they  '11  write  to  me,  and  we  shall  all  be  so 
happy !  "  Jewel  trotted  Anna  Belle  on  her  short- 
skirted  knee  and  hummed  a  tune,  which  was  lost  in  the 
rattle  of  wheels. 

"  You  can  read  and  write,  eh  ?  " 

"  Oh  ye  — es  !  "  replied  the  child  with  amused 
scorn.  "  How  would  I  get  my  lessons  if  I  could  n't 
read?  Of  course  —  big  words,"  she  added  conscien 
tiously. 

"  Precisely,"  agreed  Mr.  Evringham  dryly.  "  Big 
words,  I  dare  say." 

A  sudden  thought  occurring  to  his  companion,  she 
looked  up  again. 

"  You  pretty  nearly  did  n't  come,"  she  said  ;  "  and 
just  think,  if  you  hadn't  I  was  going  to  England. 
Father  said  so." 

At  the  sweet  inflections  of  the  child's  voice  Mr. 
Evringham's  brows  contracted  with  remembrance  of 
his  wrongs.  "  I  should  have  come.  Your  father  might 
have  known  that !  " 

"  I  suppose  he  would  n't  have  liked  to  leave  me  sitting 


BON  VOYAGE  53 

on  the  dock  alone,  but  I  should  have  known  you  'd 
come.  The  funny  part  is  I  shouldn't  have  known 
2/ow."  Jewel  laughed.  "  I  should  have  kept  looking 
for  an  old  man  with  white  hair  and  a  cane  like  Grandpa 
Morris.  He  's  a  grandpa  in  Chicago  that  I  know.  He  's 
just  as  kind  as  he  can  be,  but  he  has  the  queerest  back. 
He  goes  to  our  church,  but  he  says  he  came  in  at  the 
eleventh  hour.  I  think  he  used  to  have  rheumatism. 
And  while  I  was  sitting  there  you  could  have  walked 
right  by  me." 

"  Humph  !  " 

"  But  then  you  'd  have  known  me,"  went  on  Jewel, 
straightening  Anna  Belle's  hat,  "  so  it  would  have  been 
all  right.  You  'd  have  known  there  would  be  only  one 
little  girl  waiting  there,  and  you  would  have  said, '  Oh, 
here  you  are,  Jewel.  I  've  come.  I  'm  your  grandpa.'  " 
The  child  unconsciously  mimicked  the  short,  brusque 
speech. 

Mr.  Evringham  regarded  her  rather  darkly.  "  Eh  ? 
I  hope  you  're  not  impudent  ?  " 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  asked  Jewel  doubtfully. 

Her  companion's  brow  grew  darker. 

"  Impudent  I  say." 

"  And  what  is  impudent  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  know  ?  "  suspiciously. 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  the  child,  some  anxiety  clouding 
her  bright  look.  "  Is  it  error  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham  regarded  her  rather  blankly.  "  It 's 
something  you  must  n't  be,"  he  replied  at  last. 

Jewel's  face  cleared.  "  Oh  no,  I  won't  then,"  she 
replied  earnestly.  "  You  tell  me  when  I  'm  —  it,  be 
cause  I  want  to  make  you  happy." 


54  JEWEL 

Mr.  Evringham  cleared  his  throat.  He  felt  some 
what  embarrassed  and  was  glad  they  had  reached  the 
ferry. 

"  We  're  going  on  a  boat,  are  n't  we  ?  "  she  asked 
when  they  had  passed  through  the  gate. 

"  Yes,  and  we  can  make  this  boat  if  we  hurry."  Mr. 
Evringham  suddenly  felt  a  little  hand  slide  into  his. 
Jewel  was  skipping  along  beside  him  to  keep  up  with 
his  long  strides,  and  he  glanced  down  at  the  bobbing 
flaxen  head  with  its  large  ribbon  bows,  while  the  im 
pulse  to  withdraw  his  hand  was  thwarted  by  the  closer 
clinging  of  the  small  fingers. 

"  Father  told  me  about  the  ferry,"  said  Jewel  with 
satisfaction,  "  and  you  '11  show  me  the  statue  of  Liberty 
won't  you,  grandpa  ?  Is  n't  it  a  splendid  boat  ?  Oh, 
can  we  go  out  close  to  the  water  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham  sighed  heavily.  He  did  not  wish  to 
go  out  close  to  the  water.  He  wished  to  sit  down  in 
comfort  in  the  cabin  and  read  the  paper  which  he  had 
just  taken  from  a  newsboy.  It  seemed  to  him  a  very 
long  time  since  he  had  done  anything  he  wished  to ; 
but  a  little  hand  was  pulling  eagerly  at  his,  and  me 
chanically  he  followed  out  to  where  the  brisk  spring 
wind  ruffled  the  river  and  assaulted  his  hat.  He  jerked 
his  hand  from  Jewel's  to  hold  it  in  place. 

"  Is  n't  this  beautiful !  "  cried  the  child  joyfully,  as 
the  boat  steamed  on.  "  Can  you  do  this  every  day, 
grandpa  ?  " 

"  What  ?     Oh  yes,  yes." 

Something  in  the  tone  caused  the  little  girl  to  look 
up  from  her  view  of  the  wide  water  spaces  to  the  grim 
face  above. 


BON  VOYAGE  55 

"  Is  there  something  that  makes  you  sorry, 
grandpa  ?  "  she  asked  softly. 

His  eyes  were  fixed  on  a  ferry  boat,  black  with  its 
human  freight,  about  to  pass  them  on  its  way  to  the 
city. 

"  I  was  wishing  I  were  on  that  boat.     That 's  all." 

The  little  girl  lifted  her  shoulders.  "  I  don't  be 
lieve  there  's  room,"  she  said,  looking  smilingly  for  a 
response  from  her  companion.  "  I  don't  believe  even 
Anna  Belle  could  squeeze  on.  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham,  holding  his  hat  with  one  hand,  was 
endeavoring  to  fetter  the  lively  corners  of  his  news 
paper  in  such  shape  that  he  could  at  least  get  a  glimpse 
of  headlines. 

"  Oh,  I  see  a  statue.    Is  that  it,  grandpa  ?   Is  that  it  ?  " 

"  What  ?  "  vaguely.  "  Oh  yes.  The  statue  of  Lib 
erty.  Yes,  that 's  it.  As  if  there  was  any  liberty  for 
anybody  !  "  muttered  Mr.  Evringham  into  his  mus 
tache. 

"  It  is  n't  so  very  big,"  objected  Jewel. 

"  We  're  not  so  very  near  it." 

"  Just  think,"  gayly,  "  father  and  mother  are  sail 
ing  away  just  the  way  we  are." 

"  H'm,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham,  trying  to  read  the 
report  of  the  stock  market,  and  becoming  more  impa 
tient  each  instant  with  the  sportive  breeze. 

"  Julia,"  he  said  at  last,  "  I  am  going  into  the  cabin 
to  read  the  paper.  Will  you  go  in,  or  do  you  wish  to 
stay  here  ?  " 

"May  I  stay  here?" 

"  Yes,' '  doubtfully,  "  I  suppose  so,  if  you  won't  climb 
on  the  rail,  or  —  or  anything." 


56  JEWEL 

Jewel  laughed  in  gleeful  appreciation  of  the  joke. 
Her  grandfather  met  her  blue  eyes  un  smilingly  and 
vanished. 

"  I  wish  grandpa  did  n't  look  so  sorry,"  she  thought 
regretfully.  "  He  is  a  very  important  man,  grandpa  is, 
and  perhaps  he  has  a  lot  of  error  to  meet  and  does  n't 
know  how  to  meet  it." 

Watching  the  dancing  waves  and  constantly  calling 
Anna  Belle's  attention  to  some  point  of  interest  on  the 
water  front  or  a  passing  craft,  she  nevertheless  pur 
sued  a  train  of  thought  concerning  her  important  rela 
tive,  with  the  result  that  when  the  gong  sounded  for 
landing,  and  Mr.  Evringham's  impassive  countenance 
reappeared,  she  met  him  with  concern. 

"  Does  n't  it  make  you  sorry  to  read  the  morning 
paper,  grandpa?  " 

"  Sometimes.  Depends  on  the  record  of  the  Ex 
change."  There  was  somewhat  less  of  the  irritation  of 
a  newsless  man  in  the  morning  in  the  speaker's  tone. 

"  Mother  calls  the  paper  the  Daily  Saddener,"  pur 
sued  Jewel,  again  slipping  her  hand  into  her  grand 
father's  as  a  matter  of  course  as  they  moved  slowly  off 
the  boat.  "  I  've  been  thinking  that  perhaps  you  're 
in  a  hurry  to  get  to  business,  grandpa." 

The  child  did  not  quote  his  words  about  the  ingoing 
ferry  boat  lest  he  should  feel  regret  at  having  spoken 
them. 

"  Well,  there  's  no  use  in  my  being  in  a  hurry  this 
morning,"  he  returned. 

"  I  was  going  to  ask,  could  n't  you  show  me  how  to 
go  to  Bel-Air,  so  you  would  n't  have  to  take  so  much 
time?" 


BON  VOYAGE  57 

A  gleam  of  hope  came  into  Mr.  Evringham's  cold 
eyes  and  he  looked  down  on  his  companion  doubtfully. 

"  We  have  to  go  out  011  the  train,"  he  said. 

"Yes,"  returned  the  child,  "but  you  could  put  me 
on  it,  and  every  time  it  stops  I  would  ask  somebody  if 
that  was  Bel- Air." 

The  prospect  this  offered  was  very  pleasing  to  the 
broker. 

"  You  would  n't  be  afraid,  eh  ?  " 

"  Be  what?  "  asked  Jewel,  looking  up  at  him  with  a 
certain  reproachful  surprise. 

"  You  would  n't,  eh  ?  " 

"  Why,  grandpa !  " 

"  Well,  I  believe  it  would  do  well  enough,  since  you 
don't  mind.  Zeke  is  going  to  meet  this  train.  I  '11 
tell  the  conductor  to  see  that  you  get  off  at  Bel- Air,  and 
when  you  do,  ask  for  Mr.  Evringham's  coachman. 
You  '11  see  Zeke,  a  light-haired  man  driving  a  brown 
horse  in  a  brougham.  He  '11  take  you  home  to  his 
mother,  Mrs.  Forbes.  She  is  my  housekeeper.  Now, 
do  you  think  you  '11  understand  ?  " 

"  It  sounds  very  easy,"  returned  Jewel. 

Mr.  Evringham's  long  legs  and  her  short  skipping 
ones  lost  no  time  in  boarding  the  train,  which  they 
found  made  up.  The  relieved  man  saw  the  conductor, 
paid  the  child's  fare,  and  settled  her  on  the  plush  seat. 

She  sat  there,  contentedly  swinging  her  feet. 

"  Now  I  can  just  catch  a  boat  if  I  leave  you  imme 
diately,"  said  Mr.  Evringham  consulting  his  watch. 
"  You  've  only  a  little  more  than  five  minutes  to  wait 
before  the  train  starts." 

"  Then  hurry,  grandpa,  I  'm  all  right." 


58  JEWEL 

"  Very  well.  Your  fare  is  paid,  and  the  conductor 
understands.  You  might  ask  somebody,  though.  Bel- 
Air,  you  know.  Good-by." 

Hastily  he  strode  down  the  aisle  and  left  the  train. 
Having  to  pass  the  window  beside  which  Jewel  sat, 
he  glanced  up  with  a  half  uneasy  memory  of  how  far 
short  of  the  floor  her  feet  had  swung. 

She  was  watching  for  him.  On  her  lips  was  the 
sweet  gay  smile  and — yes,  there  was  no  mistake — Anna 
Belle's  countenance  was  beaming  through  the  glass, 
and  she  was  wafting  kisses  to  Mr.  Evringham  from  a 
stiff  and  chubby  hand.  The  stockbroker  grew  warm, 
cleared  his  throat,  lifted  his  hat,  and  hurried  his  pace. 


CHAPTER  VI 
JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL 

WHEN  her  grandfather  had  disappeared,  Jewel  placed 
Anna  Belle  on  the  seat  beside  her,  where  she  toed  in, 
in  a  state  of  the  utmost  complacence. 

"  I  have  my  work  to  do,  Anna  Belle,"  she  said,  "  and 
this  will  be  a  good  time,  so  don't  disturb  me  till  the 
train  starts."  She  put  her  hand  over  her  eyes,  and  sat 
motionless  as  the  people  met  and  jostled  in  the  aisle. 

Minutes  passed,  and  then  some  one  brushed  the 
child's  arm  in  taking  the  seat  beside  her.  "  Oh,  please 
don't  sit  on  Anna  Belle !  "  she  cried  suddenly,  and 
looked  up  into  a  pair  of  clear  eyes  that  were  regarding 
her  with  curiosity. 

They  belonged  to  a  man  with  a  brown  mustache  and 
dark,  short,  pointed  beard,  who  carried  a  small  square 
black  case  and  had  altogether  a  very  clean,  fresh, 
agreeable  appearance. 

"  Do  I  look  like  a  person  who  would  sit  on  Anna 
Belle  ?  "  he  asked  gravely. 

The  doll  was  enthroned  upon  his  knee  as  he  set 
down  his  case,  and  the  train  started. 

"  If  she  annoys  you  I  '11  take  her,"  said  Jewel,  with 
a  little  air  of  motherliness  not  lost  upon  her  com 
panion. 

"Thank  you,"  he  replied,  "  but  I  'm  used  to  children. 


60  JEWEL 

She  looks  like  a  fine,  healthy  little  girl,"  keeping  his 
eyes  fixed  on  the  doll's  rosy  cheeks. 

"  Yes  indeed.     She  's  very  healthy." 

"  Not  had  measles,  or  chicken  pox,  or  mumps,  or  any 
of  those  things  yet  ?  "  pursued  the  pleasant  voice. 

"  Oh  dear  !  "  gasped  Jewel.  "  Please  let  me  take 
Anna  Belle."  She  caught  her  doll  into  her  arms  and 
met  her  companion's  surprised  gaze. 

"  I  have  n't  any  of  them,"  he  returned,  amused. 
"  Don't  be  afraid." 

"  I  'm  not  afraid,"  answered  the  child  promptly. 
"There  is  nothing  to  be  afraid  of." 

"  I  was  only  going  to  say,"  said  the  young  man, 
"  that  if  she  was  ailing  I  could  prescribe  for  her.  I 
have  my  case  right  here." 

Jewel's  startled  look  fell  to  the  black  case.  "  What 's 
that !  Medicine?"  she  asked  softly. 

"  It  certainly  is.  So  you  see  you  have  a  doctor 
handy  if  anything  ails  the  baby." 

The  child  gazed  at  him  with  grave  scrutiny.  "  Do 
you  believe  in  materia  medica  ?  "  she  asked. 

The  young  doctor  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed 
heartily.  "  "Well,  yes,"  he  answered  at  last.  "  I  am 
supposed  to." 

To  his  surprise  his  neighbor  returned  to  the  attitude 
in  which  he  had  found  her,  with  one  hand  over  her 
eyes. 

He  ceased  laughing  and  looked  at  her  in  some  dis 
comfiture.  Her  mouth  was  set  seriously.  There  was 
no  quiver  of  the  rosy  lips. 

To  his  relief,  in  a  minute  she  dropped  her  hand  and 
began  to  hum  and  arrange  her  doll's  hat. 


JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL  61 

The  conductor  approached,  and  as  the  doctor  pre 
sented  his  ticket,  he  said,  "  This  little  girl's  fare  is 
paid,  I  believe."  The  conductor  nodded  and  passed  on. 

"  I  'm  to  get  off  at  Bel- Air,"  said  Jewel.  "  I  hope 
he  does  n't  forget." 

"  If  he  does,  I  shan't,"  said  the  doctor,  "  for  I  'm 
going  to  get  off  there  myself." 

The  child's  eyes  brightened.  "  Is  n't  that  nice  !  " 
she  returned.  Then  she  lifted  Anna  Belle  and  whis 
pered  something  into  her  ear. 

"  No  secrets,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  I  was  just  reminding  Anna  Belle  how  we  are  al 
ways  taken  care  of,"  returned  Jewel. 

The  young  man  regarded  her  with  increasing  inter 
est  and  curiosity. 

"  Don't  you  wonder  how  I  knew  that  your  fare  was 
paid?"  he  asked. 

"  How  did  you  ?  " 

"  I  met  Mr.  Evringham  hurrying  through  the  sta 
tion.  He  said  his  granddaughter  was  on  this  train  and 
asked  me  to  look  out  for  a  little  girl  with  a  doll." 

"  Oh,"  returned  the  child,  pleased,  "  then  you  know 
grandpa." 

"  I  've  known  him  ever  since  I  was  no  bigger  than 
you  are.  But  even  then,"  added  the  doctor  mentally, 
"  I  had  n't  supposed  him  capable  of  sending  this  baby 
out  from  the  city  alone." 

Jewel  watched  the  kind  eyes  attentively.  "  So  you 
see,"  he  went  on,  "all  I  had  to  do  was  to  look  for 
Anna  Belle." 

"  And  you  nearly  sat  on  her,"  declared  the  child. 

"  I  deny  it,"  returned  the  doctor  gravely.     "  I  deny 


62  JEWEL 

it.  You  were  n't  looking.  For  one  second  I  was 
afraid  you  were  crying." 

"  Crying !  What  would  I  be  crying  for,  coming  to 
have  a  lovely  visit  at  grandpa's !  " 

"  I  suppose  you  are  in  a  hurry  to  see  your  aunt  and 
cousin  ?  "  remarked  the  doctor. 

"  Yes,  but  I  don't  know  them.  You  see,"  explana 
torily,  "  they  are  n't  my  real  relations." 

"Indeed?" 

"No,  aunt  Madge  is  my  uncle's  wife,  and  cousin 
Eloise  is  her  little  girl,  but  not  uncle  Lawrence's." 

The  doctor  thought  a  minute. 

"  Really  ?  She  is  a  very  charming  little  girl,  is 
your  cousin  Eloise.  Are  n't  you  going  to  tell  me  your 
name  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Jewel." 

"  And  I  am  Dr.  Ballard,  so  now  we  are  properly  in 
troduced."  He  smiled  upon  her  with  merry  eyes,  and 
she  responded  politely  :  — 

"  I  'm  very  glad  you  found  us." 

Arrived  at  Bel-Air,  the  doctor  picked  up  his  case 
and  Jewel  followed  him  from  the  train.  He  looked 
about  expectantly  for  Mrs.  Evringham  or  her  daughter. 
They  were  not  there. 

The  little  girl's  quick  eyes  discerned  a  light-haired 
driver  and  a  brown  horse  coining  around  a  curve  of 
the  pretty  landscape  gardening  which  beautified  the 
station.  At  the  same  moment  Dr.  Ballard  recognized 
the  equipage  with  relief. 

"  They  've  sent  for  you.  That  is  all  right,"  he  said, 
and  'Zekiel,  with  one  side  glance  at  the  little  stranger, 
drew  up  by  the  platform. 


JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL  63 

"Good-morning,  Zeke.  Here  is  your  passenger." 
He  lifted  Jewel  to  her  place  beside  the  driver,  whose 
smooth,  stolid  face  did  not  change  expression. 

"  Do  I  wait  for  Mr.  Evringham  ?  "  he  asked,  with 
out  turning  his  head  in  its  stiff  collar. 

"  No,  Mr.  Evringham  remained  in  town." 

"  Is  there  a  trunk  ?  "  pursued  Zeke  immovably. 

"How  about  your  trunk,  little  one?"  asked  the  doctor. 

Jewel  produced  a  paper  check.  "  A  man  gave 
grandpa  this  for  it  at  the  boat  place." 

"  I  '11  see  to  having  it  sent  up  then."  The  doctor 
looked  along  the  platform.  "  It  did  n't  come  this  trip." 
He  took  the  child's  hand  in  his.  "I  shall  see  you 
again  before  long.  Good-by." 

Jewel  looked  after  the  retreating  figure  with  some 
regret.  Her  present  companion  seemed  carved  out  of 
wood.  His  plum-colored  livery  fitted  without  a  wrinkle. 
His  smooth,  solemn  face  appeared  incapable  of  speech. 

The  swift  horse  trotted  through  the  village  street  at 
a  great  pace,  and  the  visitor  enjoyed  the  novel  experi 
ence  so  intensely  that  she  could  not  forbear  stealing  a 
look  up  at  the  driver's  face. 

He  caught  it.     "  Ain't  afraid,  are  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  looked  doubtful.  "  Is  it  error  for  the  horse  to 
go  so  fast  ?  "  she  returned. 

"Error?"  'Zekiel  regarded  the  child  curiously. 
"  Well,  I  guess  it 's  considered  one  o'  the  biggest  vir 
tues  a  horse  can  have." 

"  Then  why  did  you  ask  me  if  I  was  afraid  ?  You  're 
the  third  person  who  's  asked  me  that  this  morning," 
returned  Jewel,  with  wondering  inflections  in  her  soft 
voice.  "  Are  New  York  people  afraid  of  things  ?  " 


64  JEWEL 

"  Well,  not  so  's  you  'd  notice  it  as  a  rule,"  returned 
Zeke.  "  I  'm  glad  if  she  ain't  one  o'  the  scared  kind," 
he  pursued,  as  if  to  himself. 

"  Oh,  this  is  splendid,"  declared  Jewel,  relieved  by 
her  companion's  smile  ;  "  I  don't  know  as  Anna  Belle 
ever  had  such  a  good  ride.  See  the  trees,  dearie  ! 
How  the  leaves  are  coming  out !  They  are  n't  nearly 
so  far  out  in  Chicago  ;  but  oh,"  as  the  horse  turned, 
"  there  's  a  big  storm  coming !  What  a  black  cloud  ! 
We  're  just  in  time." 

"  I  don't  see  any  cloud,"  said  Zeke,  staring  about. 

"  Why,  right  there  in  front  of  us,"  excitedly,  point 
ing  at  a  long  opaque  mass  against  the  sky. 

"  That  ?  Why,  that 's  hills."  Zeke  laughed.  "  The 
mountain  they  call  it  here.  Pretty  sickly  mountain 
we  'd  think  it  was  up  Berkshire  way." 

"  Oh,  it 's  a  mountain,  Anna  Belle,"  joyfully,  "  we  're 
really  seeing  a  mountain  !  " 

"  No  you  ain't,"  remarked  Zeke  emphatically.  "  Not 
by  a  large  majority.  Guess  Chicago  's  some  flat,  ain't 
it?" 

"  We  don't  have  hills,  no.  So  now  we  're  going  to 
see  grandpa's  park,  and  the  ravine,  and  the  brook,  and 
—  and  everything !  " 

Zeke  stole  a  furtive  look  at  the  owner  of  the  joyous 
voice.  The  voluminous  ribbon  bows  behind  her  ears 
were  mostly  in  evidence,  as  she  bent  her  face  over  her 
doll  in  congratulation. 

"  Left  Mr.  Evringham  in  town,  did  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  he  was  busy,  and  in  a  hurry  to  get  to  his 
office.  Grandpa  's  such  an  important  man." 

"Is  he?"  asked  Zeke. 


JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL  65 

"  Why  ye — es !     Did  n't  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  I  surmised  something  of  the  kind.  So  Dr.  Ballard 
looked  after  you." 

"  Yes,  —  and  I  do  hope  my  trunk  will  come." 

Jewel  looked  wistfully  at  the  driver.  In  spite  of  his 
stiff  and  elegant  appearance  he  had  been  surprisingly 
affable.  "I  have  a  checked  silk  dress,"  she  added 
modestly. 

"  You  don't  say  so  !  "  ejaculated  Zeke,  wholly  won 
by  the  smile  bent  upon  him.  "  Well  now,  if  that 
trunk  don't  show  up  by  noon,  I  '11  have  to  do  some 
thing  about  it." 

"  Oh,  thank  you  !  "  exclaimed  the  child. 

They  now  sped  through  the  gates  of  the  park  and  by 
the  porter's  lodge,  and  began  the  ascent  of  a  winding 
road.  Handsome  residences  were  set  among  the  fine 
trees,  and  at  sight  of  each  one  Jewel  looked  expectant 
and  eager. 

"  I  expect  mother  '11  be  kind  of  looking  out  for  us," 
continued  Zeke.  "  Poor  kid !  "  he  added  mentally. 

"  Grandpa  said  something  about  your  mother." 

"  His  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  Oh  yes,  of  course  I  know  about  Mrs.  Forbes,"  re 
turned  Jewel  hastily  and  politely.  "  He  told  me  your 
name  too,"  she  added  suggestively. 

"  Yes,  I  'm  Zeke.  And  you  just  remember,"  em 
phatically,  "  that  I  come  when  I  'm  called.  Will  you?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  child,  laughing  a  little.  "  Do 
you  know  my  name  ?  " 

"  It 's  Julia,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  if  you  called  me  by  it  perhaps  I  should  n't 
come,  for  I  'm  used  to  the  name  of  Jewel." 


66  JEWEL 

"Pretty  name  all  right,"  returned  Zeke  senten- 
tiously.  "Now  you  can  see  your  grandpa's  house. 
The  one  with  the  long  porch." 

Jewel  jumped  up  and  down  a  little  in  the  seat  and 
held  Anna  Belle  to  get  a  good  view.  The  brown  horse 
trotted  with  a  will,  and  in  a  minute  more  they  had 
passed  up  the  driveway  and  paused  beneath  the  porte- 
cochere. 

Mrs.  Forbes  threw  open  the  door  and  stood  unsmil 
ing. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Evringham?  "  she  asked,  addressing 
her  son. 

"  Stayed  in  town." 

The  housekeeper  stepped  forward  and  helped  down 
the  little  girl,  who  had  risen  and  was  looking  brightly 
expectant. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Julia  ?  "  she  said.  "  Did  you 
come  out  alone  on  the  cars?" 

"  No.     Dr.  Ballard  came  with  me." 

"  Oh,  that  was  the  way  of  it.  Zeke,  hitch  up  the 
brougham.  The  ladies  are  going  out  to  lunch." 

"  Why  did  n't  they  let  me  know  ?  "  grumbled  Zeke. 
"  Could  have  hitched  up  the  brougham  just  as  well  in 
the  first  place." 

"  Don't  ask  me"  returned  his  mother  acidly.  "  Where 
is  your  bag,  Julia  ?  I  hope  you  have  n't  left  it  in  the 
train  ?  " 

"No,  I  did  n't  have  any.  I  used  mother's.  She 
knew  I  'd  have  my  trunk  to-night." 

"  Then  come  in  and  I  '11  show  you  where  your  room 
is." 

The  child  looked  eagerly  and  admiringly  from  side 


JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL  67 

to  side  as  she  followed  Mrs.  Forbes  up  two  flights  of 
broad  shallow  stairs  and  into  an  apartment  which  to 
her  eyes  seemed  luxurious. 

"  Was  this  ever  my  father's  room?  "  she  asked. 

"  Why  yes,  I  believe  it  was,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes, 
to  whom  that  circumstance  had  not  before  occurred. 

"How  kind  of  grandpa  to  let  me  have  it!"  said 
Jewel,  highly  pleased. 

"  He  was  n't  in  it  much,  your  father  was  n't.  Away 
at  school  or  some  other  place  mostly.  Where  's  your 
trunk?" 

"  It 's  coming.  Zeke  said  he  'd  attend  to  it."  Jewel 
looked  up  happily.  "  I  have  a  "  —  she  was  intending 
to  communicate  to  Mrs.  Forbes  the  exciting  detail  of 
her  wardrobe  when  the  housekeeper  interrupted  her. 

"  My  son's  name  is  Ezekiel,"  she  said  impressively. 

"  Oh,"  returned  Jewel  abashed.  "  He  told  me 
Zeke."  She  still  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  large  white 
room,  Anna  Belle  in  her  arms,  and  with  the  surprised 
look  in  her  serious  face  drew  upon  herself  an  unflatter 
ing  mental  comment. 

"  The  image  of  Harry,"  thought  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  Can  I  see  aunt  Madge  and  cousin  Eloise  ?  "  asked 
the  child,  beginning  to  feel  some  awe  of  the  large 
woman  regarding  her. 

"  They  're  getting  ready  to  go  out  to  lunch.  They 
can't  be  disturbed  now.  You  can  sit  here,  or  walk 
around  until  lunch  time.  You  '11  know  when  that  is 
ready,  because  the  gong  will  sound  in  the  hall.  Now 
when  you  go  downstairs  be  careful  not  to  touch  the  tall 
clock  on  the  landing.  That  is  a  very  valuable  chim 
ing  clock,  and  you  must  n't  open  its  doors,  for  fear 


68  JEWEL 

you  would  break  something.  Then  if  you  go  into  the 
parlor  you  must  never  play  on  the  piano  unless  you  ask 
somebody,  for  fear  Mr.  Evringham  might  be  trying  to 
take  a  nap  just  at  that  time ;  then  you  must  n't  go  into 
the  barn  without  permission,  for  it 's  dangerous  where 
the  horses  are,  and  you  might  get  kicked.  If  you  're 
tired  from  your  journey  you  can  lie  down  now  till  lunch 
time ;  but  whenever  you  do  lie  down,  be  sure  to  turn 
off  this  white  spread,  for  fear  you  might  soil  it.  Now 
I  'm  very  busy,  and  I  shan't  see  you  again  till  lunch." 

Mrs.  Forbes  departed  and  Jewel  stood  for  half  a 
minute  motionless,  feeling  rather  dazed  by  a  novel  sen 
sation  of  resentment. 

"  As  if  we  were  babies  !  "  she  whispered  at  last  to  her 
doll.  "  She  's  the  most  afraid  woman  I  ever  saw,  and 
she  looks  so  sorry  !  She  is  n't  our  relation,  so  no  mat 
ter,  dearie,  what  she  says.  This  is  father's  room,  and 
we  can  think  how  he  used  to  run  around  here  when  he 
was  a  little  boy." 

Tiptoeing  to  the  door,  Jewel  closed  it  and  began  to 
inspect  her  new  apartment. 

The  sweet  smelling  soap  on  the  marble  stand,  the 
silver  mountings  of  the  faucets,  the  large  fine  towels, 
the  empty  closet  and  drawers,  all  looked  inviting. 
Throughout  her  examination  the  little  girl  kept  paus 
ing  to  listen. 

Surely  aunt  Madge  and  cousin  Eloise  would  look 
in  before  they  went  out  to  their  engagement.  Mother 
had  so  often  said  how  nice  it  was  that  they  were  there. 
Surely  they  did  n't  know  that  she  had  arrived.  That 
was  it,  of  course  ;  and  Mrs.  Forbes  was  so  sorry  and 
anxious  she  would  probably  forget  to  tell  them. 


JEWEL'S  ARRIVAL  69 

Some  altercation  was  just  then  going  on  in  the  apart 
ments  of  those  ladies. 

"  We  ought  to  speak  to  her  before  we  go,"  said  Mrs. 
Evringham  persuasive^.  "  Father  would  probably  re 
sent  it  if  we  did  n't." 

"  I  have  told  you  already,"  returned  Eloise,  "  that  I 
do  not  intend  doing  one  thing  henceforward  that  grand 
father  could  interpret  as  being  done  to  please  him." 

"  But  that  is  carrying  it  ridiculously  far,  not  to  greet 
your  cousin,  who  has  come  from  a  journey  and  is  your 
guest." 

"  My  guest !  "  returned  the  girl  derisively.  "  We 
are  hers  more  likely.  I  will  not  go  to  her.  The  sooner 
grandfather  sends  us  away  the  better." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  worried. 

"  This  is  mania,  Eloise ! "  she  returned  coaxingly. 
"  Very  well,  I  shall  go  and  speak  to  the  child.  She 
shan't  be  able  to  tell  her  grandfather  of  any  rudeness." 

In  a  few  minutes  Jewel,  sitting  by  her  window, 
Anna  Belle  in  her  lap,  heard  the  frou-frou  of  skirts  in 
the  hall,  and  with  a  knock  at  the  door,  a  lady  entered. 
She  was  arrayed  in  a  thin  black  gown  and  wore  a  large 
black  hat,  that  was  very  becoming. 

Jewel's  admiration  went  out  to  her  on  the  instant 
and  she  started  up. 

The  lady  swept  toward  her,  and  bending,  a  delicate 
perfume  wafted  about  Jewel  as  she  felt  a  light  touch 
of  lips  on  her  cheek. 

"  So  this  is  Julia  Evringham,"  said  the  newcomer. 

"  And  you  are  aunt  Madge,"  returned  the  child 
gladly,  clinging  to  the  gloved  hand,  which  endured  for 
a  moment,  and  then  firmly  disengaged  itself. 


70  JEWEL 

"  Your  father  and  mother  got  off  all  right  I  hope  ?  " 
went  on  the  airy  voice.  "  I  'm  always  afraid  of  winds 
at  this  season  myself,  but  they  may  not  have  them. 
Your  cousin  Eloise  and  I  are  hurrying  away  to  a 
luncheon,  but  we  shall  see  you  at  dinner.  You  're  very 
comfortable  here  ?  That 's  right.  Good-by." 

She  swept  away,  and  the  light  again  faded  from 
Jewel's  face  as  she  went  slowly  back  to  her  seat. 

"  Aunt  Madge  is  afraid,  too,"  she  said  to  the  doll. 
"  We  know  there  won't  be  winds,  don't  we,  dearie  ? 
God  will  take  care  of  father  and  mother." 

An  uncomfortable  lump  rose  towards  the  child's 
throat. 

Mrs.  Evringham  followed  Eloise  into  the  brougham, 
smiling. 

"  It  could  n't  be  better,"  she  announced  with  much 
satisfaction  as  they  drove  away. 

"What?" 

"  She  is  plain  —  oh,  plain  as  possible.  Small  eyes, 
large  mouth,  insignificant  nose.  She  will  never  get  on 
with  father.  He  never  could  endure  ugliness  in  a  girl 
or  woman.  I  have  heard  him  say  it  was  unpardonable. 
If  it  had  n't  been  that  we  were  what  we  are,  Eloise, 
I  should  never  have  dreamed  of  doing  as  I  have  done. 
Now  if  only  some  good  fairy  would  open  your  eyes  to 
see  which  side  your  bread  is  buttered  on !  You  could 
do  marvels  with  such  a  foil  for  contrast." 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE   FIRST    EVENING 

IN  the  excitement  of  the  early  morning  start,  Jewel 
had  eaten  little  breakfast,  but  the  soft  resonance  of 
the  Japanese  gong,  when  it  sounded  in  the  hall  be 
low,  found  her  unready  for  food. 

However,  she  judged  the  mellow  sound  to  be  her 
summons  and  obediently  left  her  seat  by  the  window. 
As  she  went  down  she  looked  askance  at  the  tall 
dark  clock  which,  even  as  she  passed,  chimed  the  half 
hour  melodiously.  Certainly  her  important  grand 
father  lived  in  a  wonderful  house.  She  paused  to 
hear  the  last  notes  of  the  bells,  but  catching  sight  of 
the  figure  of  Mrs.  Forbes  waiting  below,  she  started 
and  moved  on. 

"  That 's  right.  Come  along,"  said  the  housekeeper. 
"  Mr.  Evringham  likes  everybody  to  be  punctual  in  his 
house." 

"  Oh,  has  grandpa  come  home  ? "  inquired  Jewel 
eagerly. 

"  No,  he  won't  be  home  for  hours  yet.  Come  this 
way." 

The  little  girl  followed  to  the  dining-room,  which  she 
thought  quite  as  wonderful  as  the  clock ;  but  her  ad 
miration  of  all  she  saw  was  no  longer  unmixed.  Mrs. 
Forbes  seemed  to  cast  a  shadow. 


72  JEWEL 

One  place  was  laid  at  the  table,  one  handsome  chair 
was  drawn  up  to  it.  Jewel  longed  to  call  Anna  Belle's 
attention  to  the  glittering  array  on  the  sideboard  and 
behind  the  crystal  doors  of  cabinets,  but  something 
withheld  her. 

She  looked  questiouingly  at  the  housekeeper.  "  I 
think  I'll  draw  up  another  chair  for  Anna  Belle," 
she  said. 

Mrs.  Forbes  had  already  decided,  from  small  signs  of 
assurance,  that  this  Western  child  was  bold.  "  Give 
her  an  inch,  and  she  '11  take  an  ell,"  she  had  said  to 
herself.  "  I  know  her  sort." 

"  Do  you  mean  the  doll  ?  "  she  returned.  "  Put 
it  down  anywhere.  You  must  never  bring  it  to  the 
table.  Mr.  Evringham  would  n't  like  it." 

In  silence  Jewel  seated  the  doll  in  the  nearest  chair 
against  the  wall,  and  as  she  slid  up  into  her  own,  a  neat 
maid  appeared  with  a  puffy  and  appetizing  omelet. 

Mrs.  Forbes  filled  the  child's  glass  with  water,  and 
the  maid  set  down  the  omelet  and  departed. 

Jewel's  heart  sank  while  Mrs.  Forbes  presented  the 
souffle. 

"  I  'm  sorry,"  she  began  hesitatingly,  "  I  never  —  I 
can't  "  -  then  she  swallowed  hard  in  her  desperate 
plight.  "  Is  n't  it  pretty  ? "  she  said  rather  breath 
lessly. 

"  It 's  very  good,"  returned  the  housekeeper  briefly, 
misconstruing  the  child's  hesitation.  "  Shall  I  help 

you  ? " 

"I  —  could  I  have  a  drink  of  milk  ?  I  don't  —  I 
don't  eat  eggs." 

"Don't  eat  eggs?"    repeated  the  housekeeper   se- 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  73 

verely.  "  I  'm  sorry  you  have  been  allowed  to  be 
notional.  Children  should  eat  what  is  set  before  them. 
Taste  of  it." 

"I  —  I  could  n't,  please."    Jewel's  face  was  averted. 

Mrs.  Forbes  touched  an  electric  bell.  The  maid  re 
appeared.  "  Remove  the  omelet,  Sarah,  and  bring 
Miss  Julia  a  glass  of  milk." 

That  was  the  order,  but  oh,  the  tone  of  it !  Jewel's 
heart  beat  a  little  faster  as  she  took  some  bread  and 
butter  and  drank  the  milk,  Mrs.  Forbes  standing  by, 
a  portentous,  solemn,  black-robed  figure,  awful  in  its 
silence. 

When  the  child  set  down  the  glass  empty,  she  started 
to  push  back  her  chair. 

"  Wait,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes  laconically.  She  again 
touched  an  electric  bell.  The  maid  reappeared,  re 
moved  the  bread  and  milk  and  served  a  dainty  dessert 
of  preserved  peaches,  cream,  and  cake. 

"  I  've  really  had  enough,"  said  Jewel  politely. 

"  Don't  you  eat  peaches  and  cream,  or  cake  either  ?  " 
asked  Mrs.  Forbes  accusingly. 

"  Yes'm,"  returned  the  child,  and  ate  them  without 
further  ado. 

"  Your  trunk  has  come,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes  when  at 
last  Jewel  slipped  down  from  the  table.  "  I  will  come 
up  and  help  you  unpack  it." 

"  If  only  she  would  n't !  "  thought  the  child  as  she 
lifted  Anna  Belle,  but  the  housekeeper  preceded  her 
up  the  stairs,  breathing  rather  heavily. 

Sure  enough,  when  they  reached  the  white  room, 
there  stood  the  new  trunk  that  had  been  packed  with 
so  much  anticipation.  The  bright  black  letters  on 


74  JEWEL 

the  side,  J.  E.,  had  power  even  now  to  send  a  little 
glow  of  pride  through  its  possessor.  She  stole  a  glance 
at  Mrs.  Forbes,  but,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  the 
housekeeper  gave  no  evidence  of  admiration. 

"  I  don't  need  to  trouble  you,  Mrs.  Forbes.  I  can 
unpack  it,"  said  the  child. 

"  I  'm  up  here  now,  and  anyway,  I  'd  better  show 
you  where  to  keep  your  things.  Where  's  your  key?  " 

Jewel  laid  down  the  doll  and  opened  her  leather 
side-bag,  producing  the  key  tied  with  a  little  ribbon. 

Mrs.  Forbes  unlocked  the  trunk,  lifted  out  the 
tray,  and  began  in  a  business-like  manner  to  dispose  of 
the  small  belongings  that  had  last  been  handled  so 
tenderly. 

"  Mrs.  Harry  certainly  knows  how  to  pack,"  ran  her 
thoughts,  "  and  she  'd  naturally  know  how  to  sew. 
These  things  are  as  neat  as  wax,  and  the  child  's  well 
fixed."  In  the  tray,  among  other  things,  were  a  num 
ber  of  doll's  clothes,  some  writing  materials,  a  box  of 
different  colored  hair  ribbons,  and  a  few  books. 

"  Glad  to  see  a  Bible,"  thought  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  Shows 
Mrs.  Harry  is  respectable."  She  glanced  at  the  three 
other  books.  One  was  a  copy  of  "  Heidi,"  one  was 
"  Alice  in  Wonderland,"  and  the  third  a  small  black 
book  with  the  design  of  a  cross  and  crown  in  gilt  on 
the  cover.  Mrs.  Forbes  looked  from  this  up  at  the 
child. 

"  What 's  this  ?  Some  kind  of  a  daily  book,  Ju 
lia?" 

"I  —  yes,  I  read  it  every  day." 

"  Well,  I  hope  you  '11  be  faithful  now  your  mother 's 
gone.  She  's  taken  the  trouble  to  put  it  in." 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  75 

Jewel's  eyes  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  green  color. 
Eagerly  she  reached  down  into  the  trunk  and  drew  out 
carefully  a  dress  in  tiny  checks  of  green  and  white. 

"  That 's  my  silk  dress,"  she  said,  regarding  it 
fondly. 

"  It  is  very  neatly  made,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes  re- 
pressively.  "  It  does  n't  matter  at  all  what  little  girls 
have  on  if  they  are  clean  and  neat.  It  only  matters 
that  they  shall  be  obedient  and  good." 

Jewel  regarded  her  with  the  patience  which  children 
exercise  toward  the  inevitable.  "  I  'd  like  to  fix  Anna 
Belle's  drawer  myself,"  she  said  modestly. 

"Very  well,  you  may.  Now  here  are  your  shoes  and 
slippers,  but  I  don't  find  any  rubbers." 

"  No,  I  never  wear  rubbers." 

"  What  ?     Does  n't  it  rain  in  Chicago  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  indeed,  it  rains." 

"  Then  you  must  get  your  feet  wet.  I  think  you 
better  have  had  rubbers  than  a  silk  dress !  What  was 
your  mother  thinking  of  ?  " 

Jewel  sighed  vaguely.  She  wondered  how  soon  Mrs. 
Forbes  would  go  away. 

This  happy  event  occurred  before  long,  and  the  little 
girl  amused  herself  for  a  while  with  rearranging  some 
what  the  closet  and  drawers.  Then  putting  on  her  hat 
and  taking  her  doll  with  her,  she  stole  quietly  down 
the  thickly  carpeted  stairs,  and  opening  the  heavy  hall 
door,  went  out  upon  the  piazza.  It  was  sheltered  from 
the  wind,  and  wicker  chairs  were  scattered  about. 
Jewel  looked  off  curiously  amid  the  trees  to  where  she 
knew,  by  her  father's  description,  she  should  find,  after 
a  few  minutes'  ramble,  the  ravine  and  brook.  Pretty 


76  JEWEL 

soon  she  would  wander  out  there.  Just  now  the  sun 
was  warm  here,  and  the  roomy  chairs  held  out  inviting 
arms.  The  child  climbed  into  one  of  them.  Father 
would  come  back  here  some  happy  day  and  find  her. 
The  thought  brought  a  smile,  and  with  the  smile  on  her 
lips,  her  head  fell  back  against  a  yielding  cushion,  and 
in  a  minute  she  had  fallen  asleep.  Anna  Belle  toppled 
over  backward.  Her  plumed  hat  was  pushed  rakishly 
askew,  but  little  she  cared.  Her  eyelids  had  fallen, 
too. 

Mrs.  Evringham  and  Eloise,  returning  late  from 
their  luncheon,  came  upon  the  little  sleeping  figure  as 
they  walked  around  the  long  piazza. 

"  There  she  is !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Evringham  softly, 
putting  up  her  lorgnette.  "  Behold  your  rival !  " 

Eloise  regarded  the  sleeper  without  curiosity. 

"  At  least  she  has  not  come  uninvited,"  was  her  only 
comment. 

"  But  she  has  come  unwelcome,  my  dear,"  returned 
Mrs.  Evringham  with  relish.  "  Just  wait  until  our 
gracious  host  realizes  what  he  has  let  himself  in  for. 
Oh,  there 's  a  good  time  coming,  you  may  be  sure. 
Hush,  don't  waken  her  !  It  would  be  a  blessed  dis 
pensation  if  she  were  always  to  sleep  while  her  grand 
father  is  absent,"  and  Mrs.  Evringham  led  the  way 
into  the  house,  her  laces  fluttering. 

On  the  first  landing  the  ladies  met  Mrs.  Forbes, 
troubled  of  countenance. 

"  I  am  looking  for  the  child  Julia,"  she  said.  "  I 
can't  think  where  she  can  have  disappeared." 

"  You  've  not  far  to  seek,"  returned  Mrs.  Evring 
ham  airily.  "  She  is  asleep  on  the  piazza." 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  77 

"  Thank  you."  Mrs.  Forbes  hastened  downstairs 
and  out  of  doors.  Glancing  about  she  quickly  per 
ceived  the  short  legs  stretched  in  a  reclining  chair, 
and  advanced  toward  the  relaxed  little  figure. 

"  Julia,  wake  up  !  "  she  said,  touching  her. 

The  child  stirred  and  opened  her  eyes.  Her  move 
ment  made  the  doll  slip  to  the  floor,  and  this  caused 
her  to  come  to  herself  suddenly. 

"  Why,  I  fell  asleep,  did  n't  I  ?  "  she  said  drowsily, 
reaching  for  the  doll. 

"  Yes,  and  in  Mr.  Evringham's  own  chair !  "  re 
sponded  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  They  're  all  his,  are  n't  they  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Yes,  but  this  is  his  special  favorite,  where  he  al 
ways  lies  to  rest.  Remember !  "  returned  Mrs.  Forbes. 
"  Come  right  upstairs  now  and  change  your  dress  for 
dinner.  He  will  be  coming  home  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  Oh,  good  !  "  exclaimed  Jewel  with  satisfaction,  and 
passed  into  the  house.  Mrs.  Forbes  was  following 
ponderously.  "  Oh,  you  don't  need  to  come  with  me," 
protested  the  child  earnestly.  "  I  can  do  it  all  myself." 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  "  doubtfully. 

"  Oh  ye — es !  "  replied  the  little  girl,  running  lightly 
up  the  stairs. 

"  I  ought  to  put  her  on  the  second  floor,"  mused 
Mrs.  Forbes,  "  if  I  've  got  to  be  running  up  and  down  ; 
but  I  suppose  she  has  done  for  herself  a  great  deal.  I 
suppose  the  mother  had  n't  time  to  be  bothered.  I  'd 
like  to  make  Mamzell  change  rooms  with  her." 

Jewel  hummed  a  tune  as  she  took  off  her  sailor  suit, 
performed  her  ablutions,  and  then  went  to  her  closet  to 
choose  a  frock  for  dinner.  She  decided  on  a  blue 


78  JEWEL 

dress  with  white  dots  chiefly  because  she  would  not  have 
to  change  her  hair  ribbons.  She  had  never  herself 
tied  those  voluminous  bows. 

At  last  she  was  ready  and  danced  toward  the  door, 
but  some  novel  timidity  made  her  hesitate  and  go  back 
sedately  to  the  chair  by  the  window.  Mrs.  Forbes's 
impressive  figure  seemed  to  loom  up  with  an  order  to 
her  to  wait  the  summons  of  the  gong. 

She  sat  there  for  what  seemed  a  very  long  time,  and 
at  last  a  knock  sounded  at  the  door.  Perhaps  grandpa 
had  come  up.  Jewel  flew  to  open  to  him  —  and  saw 
the  white  capped  maid  who  had  appeared  at  luncheon. 

*'  They  are  all  at  table,  and  Mr.  Evringhara  wishes 
you  to  come  down,"  she  said. 

"  But  I  was  waiting  for  the  gong." 

"  We  only  have  that  at  noon." 

Jewel's  feet  flew  down  the  stairs.  Her  grandfather 
had  sent  for  her.  She  was  eager  to  reach  him,  yet 
when  she  entered  the  dining-room,  her  little  face  all 
alight,  it  was  not  so  easy  to  run  to  him  as  she  had 
fancied. 

He  sat  stiffly  at  the  foot  of  the  table.  Opposite 
him  was  aunt  Madge,  and  at  her  left  sat  the  prettiest 
young  lady  the  child  had  ever  seen. 

Mrs.  Forbes  stood  near  Mr.  Evringham,  looking  very 
serious. 

Jewel  took  in  all  this  at  a  glance,  and  contenting 
herself  with  meeting  her  grandfather's  lifted  eyes  with 
a  smile,  she  ran  to  Mrs.  Evringham  and  turned  her 
back. 

"  There 's  just  one  button  in  the  middle,  aunt 
Madge,  that  I  can't  reach,"  she  explained  softly. 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  79 

Every  eye  at  the  table  was  regarding  the  child  curi 
ously,  but  she  took  110  note  of  any  one  but  her  grand 
father,  and  her  dress  buttoned,  she  ran  to  her  chair  and 
slid  up  on  its  smooth  morocco.  Eloise  observed  the 
little  girl's  loving  expression. 

"  I  am  sorry  you  are  late,  Julia,"  said  Mr.  Evring- 
ham. 

"  Yes,  so  am  I,  grandpa,"  was  the  prompt  response. 
"  I  wanted  to  be  down  here  as  soon  as  you  came  home, 
but  I  thought  I  ought  to  wait  for  the  gong,  and  then 
it  did  n't  ring." 

Her  eyes  roved  to  where,  directly  opposite,  the  beau 
tiful  young  lady  was  regarding  her  soberly. 

Mrs.  Evringham  spoke.  "  That  is  your  cousin 
Eloise,  Julia." 

Eloise  inclined  her  graceful  head,  but  made  no  fur 
ther  recognition  of  the  child's  admiring  look. 

"  They  have  n't  met  before  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Evringham, 
looking  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  No,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham  with  her  most 
gracious  manner.  "  It  just  happened  that  Eloise  and  1 
were  engaged  at  luncheon  to-day,  and  when  we  returned 
the  little  girl  was  taking  a  nap." 

By  this  time  Mrs.  Forbes  had  brought  Jewel's  soup 
and  she  was  eating.  She  looked  up  brightly  at  Mr. 
Evringham. 

"  Yes,  grandpa,  I  went  to  sleep  in  your  big  chair  on 
the  piazza.  I  did  n't  know  it  was  your  special  chair 
until  Mrs.  Forbes  waked  me  up." 

Her  grandfather  regarded  her  from  under  his  heavy 
brows.  He  was  resenting  the  fact  that  Eloise  had 
made  no  effort  to  welcome  the  child.  "  Indeed  ?  "  he 
returned.  "  What  did  she  wake  you  up  for?" 


80  JEWEL 

"  Because  it  was  time  to  get  ready  for  dinner," 
returned  Jewel.  "  It  reminded  me  of  the  story  of 
Golden  Hair,  when  she  had  gone  to  sleep  on  the  bear's 
bed,  the  way  Mrs.  Forbes  said,  '  This  is  your  grand 
father's  chair ! ' " 

She  looked  around  the  table,  expectant  of  sympathy. 
Only  Mrs.  Evringham  seemed  to  wish  to  laugh,  and 
she  was  making  heroic  efforts  not  to  do  so.  Lovely 
Eloise  kept  her  serious  eyes  downcast. 

"  Ha !  "  ejaculated  Mr.  Evringham,  after  a  lightning 
glance  of  suspicion  at  his  daughter-in-law.  "  I  think 
I  remember  something  about  that.  But  Golden  Hair 
tried  three  beds,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  she  did,  but  you  see  there  was  n't  any  little 
bear's  chair  on  the  piazza." 

"  Very  true.     Very  true." 

"  Golden  Hair  was  a  great  beauty,  I  believe,"  sug 
gested  Mrs.  Evringham,  looking  at  the  child  oddly. 
"  She  had  yellow  hair  like  yours." 

Jewel  put  up  a  quick  hand  to  the  short  tight  braid 
which  ended  behind  her  ear.  "  Oh  no,  long,  lovely, 
floating  hair.  Don't  you  remember  ?  " 

"  It 's  a  good  while  since  I  read  it,"  returned  Mrs. 
Evringham,  laughing  low  and  glancing  at  Eloise.  Her 
father-in-law  sent  her  a  look  of  displeasure  and  turned 
back  to  Jewel. 

"  Dr.  Ballard  found  you  on  the  train,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Yes,  grandpa.  We  had  a  nice  time.  He  is  a  very 
kind  man."  The  child  glanced  across  at  her  cousin 
again.  She  wished  cousin  Eloise  would  lift  her  eyes 
and  not  look  so  sorry.  "I  wonder,"  she  added  aloud, 
"  why  Dr.  Ballard  called  cousin  Eloise  a  little  girl." 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  81 

No  one  spoke,  so  Mrs.  Evringham  broke  the  momen 
tary  silence.  "  Did  he  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Yes,  he  said  that  my  cousin  Eloise  was  a  very 
charming  little  girl." 

Jewel  wondered  why  Eloise  flushed  and  looked  still 
sorrier,  and  why  aunt  Madge  raised  her  napkin  and 
turned  her  laugh  into  a  cough.  Perhaps  it  teased 
young  ladies  to  be  called  little  girls.  Jewel  regretted 
having  mentioned  it. 

"  I  guess  he  was  just  April-fooling  me,"  she  suggested 
comfortingly,  and  the  insistence  of  her  soft  gaze  was 
such  that  Eloise  looked  up  and  met  a  smile  so  irresist 
ible,  that  in  spite  of  herself,  her  expression  relaxed. 

The  softened  look  was  a  relief  to  the  child.  "  I  've 
heard  about  you,  of  course,  cousin  Eloise,"  she  said, 
"  and  I  could  n't  forget,  because  your  name  is  so  nice 
and — and  slippery.  Eloise  Evringham.  Eloise  Ev 
ringham.  It  sounds  just  like  —  like  —  oh,  like  sliding 
down  the  banisters.  Don't  you  think  so  ?  " 

Eloise  smiled  a  little.  "  I  had  n't  thought  of  it," 
she  returned,  then  relapsed  into  quiet. 

Mrs.  Forbes's  countenance  was  stony.  "  Children 
should  be  seen  and  not  heard,"  was  her  doctrine,  and 
this  dressmaker's  child  had  an  assurance  beyond  belief. 
She  seemed  to  feel  no  awe  whatever  in  her  grand 
father's  presence. 

The  housekeeper  caught  Jewel's  eye  and  gave  her 
such  a  quenching  look  that  thenceforward  the  little  girl 
succumbed  to  the  silence  which  the  others  seemed  to 
prefer. 

After  dinner  she  would  have  a  good  visit  with 
grandpa  and  talk  about  when  father  was  a  little  boy. 


82  JEWEL 

Her  hopes  were  dashed,  for  just  as  they  were  rising 
from  the  table,  a  man  was  announced,  with  whom  Mr. 
Evringham  closeted  himself  in  the  library. 

In  the  drawing-room  aunt  Madge  and  cousin  Eloise 
both  set  themselves  at  letter-writing,  and  entirely  ig 
nored  Jewel.  The  child  looked  listlessly  at  a  book 
with  pictures,  which  she  found  on  the  table,  until  half- 
past  eight,  when  Mrs.  Forbes  came  to  say  it  was  time 
for  her  to  go  to  bed. 

She  rose  and  stood  a  moment,  turning  hesitatingly 
from  her  aunt  to  her  cousin. 

"  Oh,  is  it  bedtime  ?  "  asked  aunt  Madge,  looking  up 
from  her  letter.  "  Good-night,  Julia.  I  hope  you  '11 
sleep  well."  Then  she  returned  to  her  writing. 

Eloise  bit  her  lip  as  she  regarded  the  little  girl  with 
a  moment's  hesitation,  but  no,  she  had  decided  on 
her  plan  of  action.  Mrs.  Forbes  was  observing  her. 
Eloise  knew  the  housekeeper's  attitude  toward  them 
was  defensive,  if  not  offensive.  "  Good-night,"  she 
said  briefly,  and  looked  down  again. 

"  Good-night,"  returned  Jewel  quietly,  and  went  out. 

In  the  hall  she  hesitated.  "  I  want  to  say  good 
night  to  grandpa,"  she  said. 

"  Well,  you  can't,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes  decidedly. 
"  He  is  talking  business  and  must  n't  be  disturbed." 

She  followed  the  child  up  the  staircase. 

"  I  could  go  to  bed  alone,  if  I  only  knew  where  the 
matches  are." 

"  You  said  you  could  dress  alone,  but  you  had  to  ask 
Mrs.  Evringham  to  button  your  frock.  Remember 
after  this  that  I  am  the  one  to  ask.  She  and  Miss 
Eloise  don't  want  to  be  bothered." 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  83 

"  Is  it  a  bother  to  do  a  kindness  ?  "  asked  Jewel  in  a 
subdued  tone. 

"  To  some  folks  it  is,"  was  the  response.  They  had 
reached  the  door  of  the  child's  room  ;  "  but  some  folks 
can  see  their  duty  and  do  it,"  she  added  virtuously. 

Jewel  realized  regretfully  that  her  present  compan 
ion  belonged  to  the  latter  class. 

"  Now  here,  right  inside  the  door,"  proceeded  Mrs. 
Forbes,  "  is  the  switch.  There 's  electricity  all  over 
this  house,  and  you  don't  need  any  matches.  See  ?  " 
Mrs.  Forbes  turned  the  switch  and  the  white  room 
was  flooded  with  light. 

A  few  hours  ago  this  magic  would  have  evoked  much 
enthusiasm.  Even  now  Jewel  was  pleased  to  turn  the 
light  on  and  off  several  times,  as  Mrs.  Forbes  told  her 
to  do. 

"  Now  I  '11  see  if  you  can  undress  yourself,"  said  the 
housekeeper.  Jewel's  deft  fingers  flew  over  the  but 
tons  in  her  eagerness  to  prove  her  independence.  When 
at  last  she  stood  in  her  little  white  nightgown,  so  neat 
and  fine  in  its  small  decorations,  Mrs.  Forbes  said,  "  Do 
you  want  me  to  hear  you  say  your  prayers  ?  " 

"  No,  I  thank  you."  With  her  hasty  response  Jewel 
promptly  jumped  into  the  bed,  from  which  the  white 
spread  had  been  removed. 

"  I  hope  you  always  say  them,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes, 
regarding  her  undecidedly. 

"  Yes'm,  I  always  do." 

The  child  cuddled  down  under  the  covers  with  her 
face  to  the  wall,  lest  Mrs.  Forbes  should  see  a  further 
duty  and  do  it. 

"  You  ought  to  say  them  on  your  knees,"  continued 
the  housekeeper. 


84  JEWEL 

"  I  'd  just  as  lief,"  replied  Jewel,  "  but  I  don't  be 
lieve  God  cares." 

"  Well,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes  solemnly,  "  it  is  a 
matter  for  your  own  conscience,  Julia,  if  your  mother 
did  n't  train  you  to  it.  Good-night." 

"Good-night,"  came  faintly  from  beneath  the  bed 
clothes. 

Mrs.  Forbes  turned  off  the  light  and  went  out,  clos 
ing  the  door  behind  her. 

"  If  she  'd  always  speak  when  she  's  spoken  to,  and 
be  quiet  and  modest  as  she  is  with  me,  she  'd  be  a  very 
well-behaved  child,"  she  soliloquized.  "  I  could  train 
her.  I  should  n't  wonder  at  all  if  her  mother  should 
see  a  great  difference  in  her  when  she  comes  back." 

The  housekeeper  went  heavily  downstairs.  Jewel, 
pushing  off  the  bedclothes,  listened  attentively  to  the 
retiring  steps,  and  when  they  could  no  longer  be  heard, 
she  jumped  out  of  bed  nimbly,  and  feeling  for  the  elec 
tric  switch,  turned  on  the  light.  Her  breath  was  com 
ing  rather  unevenly,  and  she  ran  over  the  soft  carpet  to 
where  her  doll  lay.  Catching  her  up,  she  pressed  her 
to  her  breast,  then  sitting  down  in  the  big  chair,  she 
began  to  undress  her,  crossing  one  little  bare  foot  over 
the  other  knee  to  make  a  lap. 

"  Darling  Anna  Belle,  did  you  think  I  'd  forgotten 
you  ?  "  she  asked  breathlessly.  "  Did  you  think  you 
were  n't  going  to  have  any  one  to  kiss  you  good-night  ? 
It 's  hard  not  to  have  any  one  you  love  kiss  you  good 
night."  Jewel  dashed  her  hand  across  her  eyes  quickly, 
then  went  swiftly  on  with  her  work.  "  You  might 
have  known  that  I  was  only  waiting  until  that  —  that 
giantess  went  away.  She  would  n't  let  me  bring  you 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  85 

down  to  dinner,  dearie,  but  you  did  n't  miss  anything. 
Poor  grandpa,  I  don't  wonder  any  longer  that  he 
does  n't  look  happy.  He  has  the  sorriest  people  all 
around  him  that  you  ever  saw.  He  lives  in  a  big, 
beautiful  castle,  but  it 's  Castle  Discord.  I  named  it 
that  at  dinner.  Nobody  loves  one  another.  Of  course 
grandpa  loves  me,  because  I  'in  his  own  little  grand 
child,  but  he  's  too  sorry  to  show  it.  The  beautiful 
enchanted  maiden,  and  the  Error  fairy,  and  the  giant 
ess,  are  all  making  discord  around  him.  A  little  flat 
is  better  than  a  big  castle,  is  n't  it  ?  We  know  a  flat 
—  let 's  call  it  Harmony  Flat,  Anna  Belle.  Perhaps 
if  we  're  very,  very  good,  we  '11  get  back  there  some 
time."  Jewel  suddenly  pressed  the  doll's  nightdress 
against  her  wet  eyes.  "  Don't,  don't,  dearie  !  I  know 
it  does  seem  a  year  since  —  since  the  boat  this  morn 
ing.  If  all  the  days  were  as  long  as  this,  we  'd  be 
very,  very  old  when  father  and  mother  come  home." 
The  soft  voice  broke  in  a  sob.  "  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  do  if  you  were  n't  a  Christian  Scientist,  Anna 
Belle.  We  '11  help  each  other  all  we  can.  Now  come 
• — come  into  bed  and  say  your  prayers." 

The  cool  spring  wind  was  blowing  through  the  win 
dow  Mrs.  Forbes  had  opened,  and  a  little  chill  made 
Jewel  hasten  to  turn  off  the  light  and  get  down  under 
the  bedclothes,  with  her  doll  close  in  her  arms. 

"Say  your  —  your  prayer  first,  dearie,"  she  whis 
pered,  sobbing :  — 

"  '  Father,  Mother,  God, 
Loving  me, — 
Guard  me  when  I  sleep  ; 
Guide  my  little  feet 
Up  to  Thee.' 


86  JEWEL 

Now  you  '11  feel  —  better,  dearie.  In  a  minute  you 
won't  be  so  —  homesick  for  —  for  —  father  and 
mother.  Hush,  while  I  say  mine." 

Jewel  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer.  When  she  had 
finished,  her  breath  still  caught  convulsively,  so  she 
continued :  — 

"  Dear  Father,  Mother,  God,  loving  me,  help  me  to 
know  that  I  am  close  to  Thee.  Help  me  to  remember 
that  things  that  are  unhappy  are  n't  real  things.  Help 
me  to  know  that  everything  is  good  and  harmonious, 
and  that  the  people  in  this  castle  are  Thy  children,  even 
if  they  do  seem  to  have  eyes  like  fishes.  Help  me  to 
love  one  another,  even  the  giantess,  and  please  show 
grandpa  how  to  meet  error.  Please  let  Dr.  Ballard 
come  to  see  me  soon,  because  he  has  kind  eyes,  and  I  'm 
sure  he  does  n't  know  it 's  wrong  to  believe  in  materia 
medica.  Please  take  more  care  of  father  and  mother 
than  anything,  and  say  '  Peace  be  still '  if  the  wind 
blows  the  sea.  I  know,  dear  Father  in  Heaven,  that 
Thou  dost  not  forget  anything,  but  I  say  it  to  make 
me  feel  better.  I  am  Thy  little  Jewel,  and  Anna  Belle 
loves  Thee,  too.  Take  us  into  the  everlasting  arms  of 
Love  while  we  go  to  sleep.  Amen." 

Jewel  brushed  away  the  tears  as  she  ceased,  and  with 
her  usual  quickness  of  motion,  jumped  out  of  bed  to  get 
a  handkerchief.  Turning  on  the  electric  light,  she  went 
to  the  chair  over  which  hung  the  dotted  dress.  She 
remembered  having  slipped  a  clean  handkerchief  into 
its  pocket  before  going  to  dinner. 

In  reaching  for  it  her  fingers  encountered  a  scrap  of 
paper  in  the  depths  of  the  pocket.  She  drew  it  forth. 
It  was  folded.  She  opened  it  and  found  it  written  over 
in  a  clear  round  hand. 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  87 

"  Is  my  little  darling  loving  every  one  around  her  ? 
People  do  not  always  seem  lovely  at  first,  but  remem 
ber  tliat  every  one  is  lovable  because  he  is  a  thought  of 
God.  Those  who  seem  unlovely  are  always  unhappy, 
too,  in  their  hearts.  We  must  help  them,  and  the  best 
way  to  help  is  to  love.  Mother  is  thinking  about  her 
little  Jewel,  and  no  seas  can  divide  us." 

A  slow  smile  gladdened  the  child's  tear-stained  face. 
She  read  the  message  again,  then  turned  out  the  light 
for  the  last  time  and  cuddled  down  in  bed,  her  warm 
cheek  pressing  the  scrap  of  paper  in  her  hand,  her 
breath  still  catching. 

"  Mother  has  spoken  to  us,  Anna  Belle,"  she  whis 
pered,  clasping  the  doll  close.  "  Was  n't  it  just  like 
God  to  let  her !  "  Then  she  fell  asleep  smiling. 


CHAPTER  Vin 

A    HAPPY    BREAKFAST 

MRS.  FORBES  was  on  the  porch  next  morning  when  Mr. 
Evringham  returned  from  his  canter. 

"  Fine  morning,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  he  said,  as  he  gave 
Essex  Maid  into  Zeke's  hands. 

"  Very  fine.  A  regular  weather  breeder.  It  '11  most 
probably  rain  to-morrow,  and  what  I  wanted  to  speak 
to  you  about,  Mr.  Evringham,  is,  that  the  child  has  n't 
any  rubbers." 

"  Indeed  ?     What  else  does  she  need  ?  " 

"  Well,  nothing  that  I  can  see.  Her  things  are  all 
good,  and  she  's  got  enough  of  them.  The  trouble  is 
she  says  she  has  never  worn  rubbers  and  does  n't  want 
to,  and  if  she  gets  sick  I  shall  have  to  take  care  of  her ; 
so  I  hope,  sir,  you  '11  say  she  must  have  them." 

"  Not  wear  them  ?  Of  course  she  must  wear  them," 
returned  Mr.  Evringham  brusquely.  "  Get  them  to 
day,  if  convenient,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

The  housekeeper  looked  relieved. 

"  I  hope  she  's  not  making  you  any  trouble,  eh  ?  " 
added  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  Not  any  more  than  she  can  help,  I  suppose,"  was 
the  grudging  reply.  "  She  's  a  smart  child,  and  being 
an  only  one,  she  's  some  notional.  She  won't  eat  this 
and  that,  and  does  n't  want  to  wear  the  rubbers,  but 


A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST  89 

she 's  handy  and  neat,  and  is  used  to  doing  for  herself  ; 
her  mother  has  n't  had  time  to  fuss  with  her,  of  course, 
and  that 's  lucky  for  me.  She  seems  very  well  behaved, 
considering." 

Jewel  had  made  heroic  efforts  while  Mrs.  Forbes 
assisted  at  her  morning  toilet,  and  this  was  her  re 
ward. 

"  Well,  we  must  n't  have  you  imposed  upon,"  re 
turned  Mr.  Evringham,  feeling  guilty  of  the  situation. 
"  The  child  must  obey  you  implicitly,  implicitly." 

So  saying  he  passed  into  the  house,  and  after  making 
a  change  in  his  toilet,  entered  the  dining-room.  There 
he  was  seated,  deep  in  his  newspaper  and  waiting  for 
his  coffee,  when  the  door  opened,  light  feet  ran  to  him, 
and  an  arm  was  thrown  around  his  neck.  He  looked 
up  to  meet  a  happy  smile,  and  before  he  could  realize 
who  had  captured  him,  Jewel  pressed  a  fervent  kiss 
upon  his  cheek. 

"  Oh,  grandpa,  how  nice  and  cold  your  cheek  feels  ! 
Have  you  been  out  doors  already  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham  could  feel  the  said  cheek  grow  hot 
in  surprise  at  this  onslaught.  He  held  himself  stiffly 
and  uncomfortably  in  the  encircling  arm. 

"  Yes,  I  've  been  out  on  horseback,"  he  returned 
shortly.  "  I  go  every  morning." 

Jewel's  eyes  sparkled.  "  Oh,  I  'm  so  glad.  Then  I 
can  watch  you.  I  love  to  see  anybody  ride.  When  I 
see  a  beautiful  horse  something  inside  me  gets  warm. 
Father  says  I  like  just  the  same  things  he  does.  I  must 
let  you  read  your  paper,  grandpa,  but  may  I  say  one 
thing  more?  " 

"  Yes." 


90  JEWEL 

"  I  did  n't  come  last  evening  to  kiss  you  good-night 
because  you  had  somebody  with  you  in  the  library,  and 
the  giant —  and  Mrs.  Forbes  would  n't  let  me  ;  but  I 
wanted  to.  You  know  I  wanted  to,  don't  you  ?  I  felt 
all  sorry  inside  because  I  could  n't.  You  know  you  're 
the  only  real  relation  I  have  in  the  castle  "  —  Here 
Mrs.  Forbes's  entrance  with  the  coffee  interrupted  the 
confidence,  and  Jewel,  with  a  last  surreptitious  squeeze 
of  Mr.  Evringham's  neck,  intended  to  finish  her  sentence 
eloquently,  left  him  and  went  to  her  chair. 

"  You  're  to  sit  here  this  morning,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes, 
indicating1  the  place  opposite  her  employer.  "  Mrs. 
Evringham  and  her  daughter  don't  come  down  to 
breakfast." 

Jewel  looked  up  eagerly.     "  Not  ever  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Never." 

The  child  shot  a  radiant  glance  across  at  her  grand 
father  which  he  caught,  the  thread  of  his  business 
calculations  having  been  hopelessly  broken.  "  Oh, 
grandpa,  we  're  always  going  to  have  breakfast  alone 
together !  "  she  said  joyously.  Noting  Mrs.  Forbes's 
set  countenance,  she  added  apologetically,  "  They  're  so 
pretty,  cousin  Eloise  and  aunt  Madge,  I  love  to  look 
at  them,  but  they  are  n't  my  real  relations,  and,"  her 
face  gladdening  again,  "  to  think  of  having  breakfast 
alone  with  you,  grandpa,  makes  me  feel  as  if  —  as  if  I 
had  a  birthday  !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  cleared  his  throat.  The  situation 
might  have  been  a  little  easier  if  Mrs.  Forbes  had  not 
been  present,  but  as  it  was,  he  had  never  felt  so  em 
barrassed  in  his  life. 

"  Now  eat  your  oatmeal,  Julia,"  said  the  housekeeper 


A   HAPPY  BREAKFAST  91 

repressively.  "  Mr.  Evringham  always  reads  his  paper 
at  breakfast." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  child  with  docility.  She  poured 
the  cream  from  a  small  silver  pitcher  with  a  neatness 
that  won  Mrs.  Forbes' s  approval ;  and  Mr.  Evringham 
read  over  headlines  in  the  paper,  while  he  sipped  his 
coffee,  without  understanding  in  the  least  the  meaning 
of  the  words.  Mrs.  Forbes  was  right.  Discipline  must 
be  maintained.  This  was  the  time  during  which  he 
wished  to  read  his  paper,  and  it  was  most  astonishing 
to  be  so  vigorously  taken  possession  of  by  an  utter 
stranger.  Now  was  the  time  to  repress  her  if  she  were 
to  be  repressed.  Mrs.  Forbes  was  right.  After  a 
while  he  glanced  across  at  the  child.  She  looked  very 
small  and  clean,  and  she  was  ready  with  a  quick  smile 
for  him ;  but  she  put  a  little  forefinger  against  her 
lips  jocosely.  He  cleared  his  throat  again  and  averted 
his  eyes,  rumpling  the  paper  as  he  turned  a  leaf. 

Mrs.  Forbes  left  the  room  with  the  oatmeal  dishes. 

Jewel  leaned  forward  quickly.  "  Grandpa,"  she 
said  earnestly,  "  if  you  would  declare  every  day,  over 
and  over,  that  no  error  could  come  near  your  house,  I 
think  she  would  go  away  of  her  own  accord." 

Mr.  Evringham  stared,  open  paper  in  hand.  "  What? 
Who?" 

"  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  Go  away?  Mrs.  Forbes?  What  are  you  thinking 
of!  I  couldn't  get  on  without  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  Oh  !  "  Jewel  leaned  back  with  the  long-drawn 
exclamation.  "  I  thought  she  was  what  made  you  look 
sorry." 

"No  indeed.  I  have  enough  things  to  make  me 
sorry,  but  she  is  n't  one  of  them." 


92  JEWEL 

"  Do  you  like  her  ?  "  wonderingly. 

"  I  —  why  —  I  respect  her  profoundly." 

"  Oh !  It  must  be  lots  easier  to  respect  her  pro — 
the  way  you  do,  than  to  like  her ;  but,"  with  firm  lips, 
"  I  've  got  to  love  her.  I  told  Anna  Belle  so  this 
morning,  and  especially  if  you  want  her  to  stay." 

"  Bless  my  soul !  "  Mr.  Evringham  looked  in  dis 
may  at  his  vis-a-vis.  "  You  must  be  very  careful,  Julia, 
not  to  offend  or  trouble  her  in  any  way,"  he  said. 

"  All  right,  grandpa,  I  will,  and  then  will  you  do  me 
a  favor  too  ?  " 

"  I  must  hear  it  first." 

"  Would  you  mind  calling  me  Jewel  ?  You  know 
it  is  n't  any  matter  about  the  rest,  because  they  're 
not  my  real  relations,  but  Julia  is  mother's  name,  and 
Jewel  is  mine ;  and  when  I  love  people  very  much,  I 
like  them  to  call  me  Jewel." 

Mrs.  Forbes  here  entered  with  a  tray,  and  Mr.  Ev 
ringham  merely  said,  "  Very  well,"  twice  over,  and  re 
treated  into  his  newspaper. 

On  the  tray  were  boiled  eggs.  Jewel  glanced  quickly 
up  at  Mrs.  Forbes's  impassive  face.  She  might  have 
remembered.  Probably  she  did  remember. 

Life  had  not  taught  the  child  to  be  shy,  as  has  been 
evidenced ;  so  although  Mrs.  Forbes  was  an  awing  ex 
perience,  she  felt  strong  in  the  presence  of  her  impor 
tant  grandfather,  and  only  kept  silence  now  in  order 
not  to  interrupt  his  reading. 

When  at  last  he  laid  down  his  paper  and  began  to 
chip  an  egg,  Jewel  glanced  at  those  which  Mrs.  Forbes 
had  set  before  her.  Her  little  face  had  grown  very 
serious. 


A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST  93 

"  Grandpa,  do  you  think  it 's  error  for  me  not  to  like 
eggs  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Mother  never  said  it  was.  She 
was  willing  I  should  eat  something  else." 

"  Of  course,  eat  whatever  you  like,"  responded  Mr. 
Evringham  quickly. 

Mrs.  Forbes  seemed  to  swell  and  grow  pink.  "  You 
always  have  eggs,  sir,  and  if  there  's  two  breakfasts  to 
be  got,  will  you  kindly  tell  me  what  the  other  shall 
be?" 

Mr.  Evringham  glanced  up  in  some  surprise  at  the 
unfamiliar  tone. 

"  Oh,  the  oatmeal  is  a  plenty,"  said  Jewel,  looking 
at  the  housekeeper,  eager  to  mollify  her. 

"  Try  an  egg.  Perhaps  you  '11  like  them  by  this 
time,"  suggested  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  Do  you  like  everything  to  eat,  grandpa  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham,  being  most  arbitrary  and  peculiar 
in  his  tastes,  could  only  gain  time  by  clearing  his  throat 
again,  and  taking  a  drink  of  coffee. 

"  Mrs.  Forbes  will  bring  you  a  glass  of  milk,  I  dare 
say,"  he  returned  at  last,  without  looking  up ;  and  the 
housekeeper  turned  with  ponderous  obedience  and  left 
the  room. 

Nimbly  Jewel  slid  down  from  her  chair,  and  running 
around  the  table  to  her  grandfather's  place,  put  both  her 
arms  around  his  neck  and  whispered  to  him  eagerly 
and  swiftly,  "  If  you  have  such  a  pro —  something 
respect  for  Mrs.  Forbes,  and  it  makes  her  sorry  because 
I  won't  eat  eggs,  perhaps  I  ought  to.  If  it  offends 
thy  brother  to  have  you  eat  meat,  you  must  n't,  the 
Bible  says,  so  I  suppose,  if  it  makes  Mrs.  Forbes  turn 
red  and  perhaps  get  the  stomach  ache  to  have  me  not 


94  JEWEL 

eat  eggs,  I  ought  to  ;  but  grandpa,  if  you  decide  I  must, 
please  let  me  wait  till  to-morrow  morning,  so  I  can 
say  the  Scientific  Statement  of  Being  all  day  " 

Here  Mrs.  Forbes  entered  with  a  glass  of  milk  on  a 
little  tray.  She  stood  transfixed  at  the  sight  that  met 
her. 

"  That  child  has  n't  the  fear  of  man  before  her  eyes  ! " 
she  ejaculated  mentally,  then  she  marched  forward  and 
deposited  the  milk  beside  Jewel's  empty  plate,  while 
the  child  ran  back  and  took  her  seat. 

Mr.  Evringham,  gazing  at  his  visitor  in  mute  aston 
ishment,  was  much  disconcerted  to  receive  a  confiding 
gesture  of  raised  shoulders  and  eyebrows,  which,  com 
bined  with  a  little  smile,  plainly  signified  that  they  had 
been  caught.  He  took  up  the  newspaper  mechanically. 

He  had  never  had  a  daughter,  and  caresses  had  sel 
dom  passed  between  him  and  his  children.  His  duties 
as  a  family  man  had  always  been  perfunctory.  He 
was  tingling  now  from  the  surprise  of  Jewel's  action, 
the  feeling  of  the  little  gingham  clad  arms  about  his 
neck,  the  touch  of  the  rose-leaf  skin  as  she  swept  his 
cheek  and  ear  in  her  emphatic  half-whisper. 

His  mental  processes  were  stiff  when  the  subject  re 
lated  to  things  apart  from  the  stock  market,  his  horses, 
and  golf,  but  he  was  finally  understanding  that  his 
granddaughter  had  come  to  Bel-Air,  prepared  by  ac 
counts  which  had  cast  a  glamour  over  everything  and 
everybody  in  it.  She  had  evidently  found  Mrs.  Forbes 
fall  below  her  expectations.  She  had  been  disillusioned 
concerning  Mrs.  Evringham  and  Eloise.  As  yet  the 
halo  with  which  he  himself  had  been  invested  was  in 
tact.  Was  it  to  remain  so  ?  He  still  saw  how  foolish 


A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST  95 

he  had  been  to  send  for  the  child.  He  still  wished,  of 
course,  that  she  was  in  Chicago  now,  instead  of  sitting 
across  there  from  him  in  crisp  short  skirts,  her  head 
and  shoulders  only  showing  above  the  high  table,  and 
a  little  smile  of  good  understanding  waiting  for  him 
each  time  he  looked  up. 

He  had  done  very  well  during  a  lifetime  without  be 
ing  hugged,  yet  the  innocent  incense,  which  had  been 
rising  spontaneously  before  him  ever  since  the  child 
entered  the  dining-room,  had  a  strangely  sweet  savor. 
Such  was  the  joy  of  breakfasting  alone  with  him  that 
it  made  her  feel  as  if  she  had  a  birthday !  Perfectly 
absurd  !  Quite  the  most  absurd  thing  that  he  had  ever 
heard  in  his  life. 

Mrs.  Forbes  spoke.  "  Perhaps  it  is  to  be  the  same 
way  about  the  rubbers,  Mr.  Evringham ! "  she  said, 
much  flushed.  "  Perhaps  you  will  not  insist  upon 
Julia  wearing  rubbers !  " 

"  Oh  yes,  yes,  certainly,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham 
hastily,  anxious  to  reinstate  himself.  "  I  wish  you  to 
have  a  pair  of  rubbers  at  once,  Julia  —  Jewel.  You 
surely  don't  mean  that  your  mother  has  allowed  you 
to  wet  your  feet." 

"I  —  I  never  noticed,  grandpa, but,"  hopefully,  " she 
lets  me  wet  my  hands,  so  why  not  my  feet  ?  " 

"  Bless  me,  what  ignorance  !  Because  the  soles  of 
your  feet  have  large  pores  through  which  to  catch  cold. 
Has  n't  any  one  ever  told  you  that  ?  " 

Jewel  smiled.  "  That  would  be  a  queer  arrange 
ment  for  God  to  make,  don't  you  think  ?  "  she  asked 
softly.  "Just  as  if  He  expected  us  to  walk  on  our 
hands." 


96  JEWEL 

Mrs.  Forbes's  eyes  widened,  and  an  irrepressible 
"  Well !  "  escaped  from  her  lips.  "  Has  that  young 
one  reverence  for  anything  in  heaven  above  or  earth 
beneath  ?  "  she  queried  mentally. 

Mr.  Evringham  managed  to  recover  himself  suffi 
ciently  to  say,  "  You  should  n't  speak  so,  Jewel." 

"  But  you  know  how  it  was  about  the  tree  of  know 
ledge,  grandpa,"  replied  the  child  earnestly.  "  God 
told  Adam  not  to  eat  of  it,  because  then  he  'd  believe 
in  good  and  evil,  and  that  always  makes  such  lots 
and  lots  of  trouble.  The  Indians  don't  have  to  wear 
rubbers." 

"  Drink  your  milk,  Jewel,"  returned  Mr.  Evring 
ham  uncomfortably,  not  having  the  temerity  to  lift  his 
eyes  as  high  as  his  housekeeper's  countenance.  "  No 
matter  about  the  Indians.  You  are  a  civilized  little 
girl,  and  you  must  wear  rubbers  while  you  live  with 
me.  Mrs.  Forbes  will  very  kindly  buy  them  for  you." 

"  Oh,  I  have  money,"  returned  Jewel  brightly.  "  I 
have  three  dollars,"  she  added,  trying  not  to  say  it 
boastfully.  "Fifty  cents  for  every  week  father  and 
mother  are  going  to  be  away." 

Mr.  Evringham  wiped  his  mustache.  "You  need 
not  spend  any  of  it  for  the  rubbers,"  he  returned. 
"  You  are  buying  those  to  please  me." 

"  I  shall  love  to  wear  them  to  please  you,  grandpa," 
she  returned  affectionately.  "  I  '11  put  them  on  every 
time  I  can  think  of  it." 

"  Only  when  it  is  wet,  of  course,"  he  said.  "  When 
it  is  rainy." 

"  Oh  yes,"  she  returned,  "  when  it 's  rainy." 

"Harry  looked  like  my  father,  and   she  does,  by 


A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST  97 

Jove,"  mused  Mr.  Evringham.  "  She  's  like  me.  Knows 
what  she  wants  to  eat,  and  cares  for  a  horse,  if  she  is 
a  strange  little  being." 

"  You  say  you  like  horses  ?  "  he  remarked  suddenly. 

"  I  just  love  them,"  answered  Jewel,  "  and  I  came 
real  close  to  them  once.  Father  took  me  to  the  horse 
show." 

«  He  did,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  told  mother  he  was  going  to  blow  me  to  it." 
The  child  laughed.  "  Father 's  the  greatest  joker  ;  he 
says  the  funniest  things.  He  did  n't  blow  me  to  it  at 
all.  He  took  me  in  the  cable  car,  and  we  had  more 
fun!  It  was  the  most  be — -eautiful  place  you  ever  saw." 

"  It  was,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes.  The  music  was  playing,  and  there  were 
coaches  and  four-in-hands  and  horns  and  men  in  red 
coats  and  beautiful  little  shiny  carriages  —  and  the 
horses !  Oh,  they  all  looked  so  proud  and  glad,  and 
they  trotted  and  ran  and  jumped  over  high  fences, 
and  the  harness  jingled  and  the  people  cheered ! " 
The  child's  cheeks  were  glowing. 

Mr.  Evringham  gave  an  exclamation  that  was  almost 
a  laugh.  "You  didn't  sleep  much  that  night,  I'll 
wager  !  " 

"  No,  I  did  n't  want  to.  I  stayed  awake  a  long  time 
to  realize  that  God  does  n't  love  one  of  His  children 
any  better  than  another,  so  of  course  some  time  I  '11 
wear  a  tall  shiny  hat  and  ride  over  fences  just  like  fly 
ing.  1 11  have  a  horse,"  Jewel  added  slowly,  looking 
off  with  a  rapt  expression  as  at  a  long-cherished  vision, 
"  with  a  white  star  in  his  forehead !  " 

"  H'm !     Very  good  taste,"   returned  Mr.  Evring- 


98  JEWEL 

ham,  scarcely  knowing  what  he  was  saying,  so  dazed 
was  he  by  the  extraordinary  mixture  of  ideas. 

After  breakfast  he  had  his  usual  interview  with 
Mrs.  Forbes  concerning  the  important  event  of  dinner. 
Jewel  had  run  upstairs  to  dress  Anna  Belle. 

The  menu  decided  upon,  Mr.  Evringham  still  lin 
gered. 

"  Mrs.  Forbes,  I  have  never  had  any  experience  with 
little  girls.  You  have,  no  doubt,"  he  said.  "  Am  I 
right  in  thinking  that  my  granddaughter  is  —  is  a 
rather  unusual  specimen  ?  " 

"  She  's  odder  than  Dick's  hatband,  sir,"  rejoined 
the  housekeeper  promptly. 

"  Are  they,  perhaps,  teaching  differently  in  the 
schools  from  what  they  used  to  ?  " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of,  Mr.  Evringham." 

"  She  uses  very  unusual  expressions.     I  can't  make 
it  out.     You  are  an  intelligent  woman,  Mrs.  Forbes. 
Did  you  ever  happen  to  hear  of  such  a  thing  as  the  — 
a —  a —  Scientific  Statement  of  Being?  " 

"  Never  in  my  life,  sir,"  returned  the  housekeeper 
virtuously. 

"  Extraordinary  language  that,  from  a  —  a  child  of 
her  years.  She  seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  brought 
up.  You  heard  her  reference  to  —  in  fact  to  —  the 
Creator." 

"  I  did,  sir.  At  the  breakfast  table,  too !  I  was  as 
shocked  as  you  were,  sir.  Her  mother  put  a  Bible  into 
her  trunk,  but  it 's  plain  she  never  taught  her  any 
reverence.  The  Almighty  give  her  a  jumping  horse 
indeed  !  If  you  '11  excuse  me,  Mr.  Evringham,  I  think 
you  should  have  said  something  right  there." 


A  HAPPY  BREAKFAST  99 

The  broker  pulled  his  mustache.  "  I  've  listened  to 
more  unreasonable  views  of  heaven,"  he  returned. 

"  Do  you  think  it  was  heaven  she  was  talking  about !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  You  can't 
prove  anything  by  me.  She  's  the  most  extraordinary 
child  I  ever  listened  to." 

Mrs.  Forbes  pursed  her  lips.  "  You  'd  not  believe, 
sir,  how  differently  she  behaves  when  she  is  alone  with 
me.  As  mild-mannered  and  quiet  as  you'd  wish  to 
see  anywhere.  She  scarcely  speaks  a  word." 

Mr.  Evringham  bit  his  lip  and  nodded.  It  gave 
him  some  amusement  in  the  midst  of  his  perplexity  to 
remember  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  advised  to 
exorcise  this  tower  of  strength  altogether. 

"  It 's  my  opinion,  sir,  that  children  should  be  made 
to  eat  what  is  set  before  them,"  went  on  Mrs.  Forbes, 
reverting  to  her  principal  grievance. 

"  It  would  save  you  a  lot  of  trouble  if  I  had  been 
trained  that  way  —  eh,  Mrs.  Forbes  ?  "  returned  the 
other,  with  extraordinary  lightness. 

"  You  are  a  very  different  thing,  I  should  hope !  " 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Forbes  solemnly. 

"  Yes,  about  fifty  years  different.  Hard  to  teach  an 
old  dog  new  tricks,  eh  ?  You  might  have  some  chops 
for  her  luncheon,  perhaps,  and  an  extra  one  for  her 
breakfast.  She  has  n't  eaten  anything  this  morning." 

For  the  first  time  an  order  from  Mr.  Evringham 
evoked  no  reply  from  his  housekeeper.  He  felt  the 
weight  of  her  disapproval.  "  But  get  the  overshoes 
by  all  means,  as  soon  as  convenient,"  he  made  haste  to 
add.  "  Ring  for  Zeke,  if  you  please,  Mrs.  Forbes.  I 
must  be  off." 


CHAPTER  IX 

A    SHOPPING    EXPEDITION 

THE  housekeeper  warned  Jewel  not  to  run  out  of 
doors  that  morning  as  she  wished  to  accompany  her  to 
the  shoe  store. 

"  I  'm  not  going  to  take  you,  Anna  Belle,"  Jewel 
said  to  her  doll.  "  I  don't  like  to  ask  the  giantess  if 
I  may,  and  of  course  it  won't  be  a  very  good  time  any 
way,  so  you  be  patient  and  we  '11  go  out  together  this 
afternoon." 

Mrs.  Forbes's  long  widow's  veil,  a  decoration  she 
never  had  discarded,  hung  low  over  her  black  gown  as 
she  stepped  deliberately  down  the  stairs  from  her  barn 
chamber. 

"  I  am  going  with  the  little  girl,  Zeke,  to  buy  her  a 
pair  of  rubbers,"  she  announced  to  her  son. 

"  Going  foot-back  ?  Why  don't  you  have  out  the 
'  broom '  ?  One  granddaughter  's  got  as  good  a  right  to 
it  as  the  other,  has  n't  she  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  so,  but  that  child,  Zeke,  in  addition 
to  her  wonderful  boldness  this  morning  with  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham,  that  I  told  you  about,  is  perfectly  crazy  over 
horses." 

"  H'm.  That  don't  surprise  me.  A  young  one  that 
can  stand  up  to  the  governor  would  n't  be  afraid  of 
anything  in  the  way  of  horseflesh." 


A  SHOPPING  EXPEDITION  101 

"  So  I  decided,"  continued  Mrs.  Forbes,  pulling  on 
her  roomy  black  gloves,  "  that  it  would  be  better  for 
her  to  go  this  morning  in  the  trolley." 

"You  did  ?  Well  if  that  ain't  a  regular  step 
mother  act !  "  returned  Zeke  in  protest.  "  The  kid 
had  a  bully  time  coming  home  from  the  depot  yester 
day.  Dick  felt  good,  and  he  just  lit  out.  I  tell  you 
her  eyes  shone." 

"  I  like  to  do  what 's  best  for  folks  in  the  end,"  de 
clared  Mrs.  Forbes  virtuously.  "  Julia's  parents  are 
poor,  and  likely  to  be.  She  's  only  going  to  be  here 
six  weeks,  and  what  is  the  sense  of  encouraging  a  taste 
she  can't  ever  indulge  ?  No,  I  '11  take  her  in  the  trolley. 
It 's  a  nice  morning,  and  I  shan't  mind  the  walk  down 
to  the  gate."  The  speaker  marched  with  the  dignity 
which  was  always  inseparable  from  the  veil  toward  the 
back  door  of  the  house  to  give  some  last  orders,  and 
Zeke  lounged  out  with  his  rake  toward  the  grounds  at 
the  front.  There  he  caught  sight  of  a  small  figure 
in  hat  and  jacket  waiting  on  the  piazza.  He  turned 
toward  it,  and  Jewel  advanced  with  a  smile  of  recogni 
tion.  She  had  had  to  look  twice  to  identify  her  fine 
plum-colored  companion  of  yesterday's  drive  with  this 
youth  in  shirt  sleeves  and  a  soft  old  hat. 

"  Well,  little  girl,  how  are  you  getting  on  ? "  he 
asked. 

"  Pretty  well,  thank  you."  Her  beaming  expression 
left  no  doubt  that  she  was  very  glad  to  see  him. 

"Not  particularly  flattering  if  she  is,"  he  mused. 
"  Fine  ladies  not  out  of  their  rooms  yet,  and  ma  doin' 
her  duty  by  her  to  beat  the  band." 

"  Where  's  your  doll  ?  "  he  asked. 


102  JEWEL 

"  I   did  n't  bring  her.     I  thought  perhaps  the  - 
Mrs.   Forbes  would  —  would  just  as  lief  she  did  n't 
come." 

"  Ma  has  n't  played  with  dolls  for  quite  a  spell," 
agreed  Zeke,  with  a  smile  that  was  sunshine  to  the 
child. 

"  You  live  out  in  the  barn  with  the  horses,  don't 
you  ?  "  she  asked  eagerly.  "  Will  you  give  me  per 
mission  to  go  out  there  some  time  ?  " 

"  Sure.     Come  any  time." 

"  Mrs.  Forbes    said    I    must    ask    permission,"   re 
sponded  the  child,  with  an  apprehensive  glance  behind 
her  to   see  if  her   escort   were  arriving.     "  What  — 
what  is  your  name?" 

"  Forgotten  this  soon  ?     I  told  you  Zeke." 

"  I  thought  you  did,  but  your  mother  said  it  was 
something  very  different." 

"  Ezekiel,  perhaps." 

"  Yes,  that 's  it.  I  won't  forget  again.  How  many 
horses  has  grandpa  ?  " 

"  Two  here,  but  I  guess  he 's  got  more  in  the 
country.  You  come  out  to  the  barn  any  time  you  feel 
like  it.  You  've  heard  of  a  bell  cow,  have  n't  you  ? 
Well,  we  've  got  the  belle  horse  out  there.  She  beats 
all  creation." 

"  The  one  I  saw  yesterday,"  eagerly,  "  the  one  that 
runs  away  all  the  time  ?  " 

"  No.     This  is  Mr.  Evringham's  riding  horse." 

Jewel  hopped  and  clapped  her  hands.  "  I  '11  see 
grandpa  ride.  Goody  !  I  '11  watch  him." 

"  Go  to  your  paths,  Zeke,"  said  a  voice,  and  the  veil 
appeared  around  the  corner  of  the  house. 


A   SHOPPING  EXPEDITION  103 

Jewel  quietly  joined  her  stately  companion,  and 
walked  away  sedately  beside  her. 

They  did  not  exchange  many  words  on  their  way 
to  the  park  gates,  for  Mrs.  Forbes  needed  her  breath 
for  the  rather  long  promenade,  and  Jewel  was  busy 
looking  at  the  trees  and  trim  swards  and  crocus  beds 
beside  the  winding  road. 

Outside  the  gate  they  had  to  wait  but  a  minute  be 
fore  the  car  came,  and  after  they  had  boarded  it,  the 
little  girl  was  entertained  by  looking  out  of  the  window, 
and  often  wished  for  Anna  Belle's  sympathy  in  some 
novel  sight  or  sound. 

A  ride  of  fifteen  minutes  brought  them  to  the  shoe 
store.  Mrs.  Forbes  seemed  to  know  the  clerk,  and 
Jewel  was  finally  fitted  to  her  guardian's  satisfaction, 
but  scarcely  to  her  own,  the  housekeeper  having  selected 
the  species  known  as  storm  rubbers,  and  chosen  them 
as  large  as  would  stay  on. 

"  They  're  quite  warm,  are  n't  they  ?  "  said  Jewel, 
looking  down  at  her  shiny  feet  and  trying  to  speak 
cheerfully. 

"  When  you  wear  them  you  want  to  be  warm,"  was 
Mrs.  Forbes's  rejoinder. 

"  I  brought  my  money,"  said  the  child,  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  No.  Your  grandfather  wishes  to  make  you  a  pre 
sent  of  these."  The  housekeeper's  tone  was  final,  and 
she  paid  for  the  overshoes,  which  were  wrapped  up, 
and  then  she  led  Jewel  out  of  the  store. 

Next  door  was  a  candy  shop  with  alluring  windows. 

"  I  'd  like  to  go  in  here,"  said  the  little  girl. 
"  Would  you  mind  ?  " 


104  JEWEL 

"  Do  you  spend  your  money  for  candy,  Julia  ?  " 

"  Yes'm.  Don't  you  like  it  ? "  Jewel  lingered, 
looking  at  the  pretty  display.  Easter  had  recently 
passed,  and  there  were  bright-eyed  little  yellow  chickens 
that  especially  took  her  fancy. 

"  It  is  n't  a  question  of  liking  it  when  people  are 
poor,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  I  'm  astonished  that 
your  mother  encourages  you  to  spend  money  for  candy." 

Jewel  looked  up  quickly.  "  Did  you  think  we  were 
poor  ?  "  she  asked,  with  disconcerting  suddenness. 

Mrs.  Forbes  hesitated.  "  Your  mother  is  a  dress 
maker,  is  n't  she  ?  " 

"Yes,  she's  just  a  splendid  one.  Everybody  says 
so.  We  couldn't  be  poor,  you  know.  She  found  out 
about  God  before  I  was  old  enough  to  talk,  so  you  see 
all  her  poor  time  came  before  I  can  remember." 

The  housekeeper  glanced  about  her  furtively. 
"  Julia,  don't  you  know  you  should  n't  use  your  Crea 
tor's  name  on  the  street !  "  she  exclaimed,  when  she 
had  made  certain  that  no  one  was  listening. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Why  —  why  —  it  is  n't  a  proper  place.  Some  one 
might  hear  you." 

"  Well,  won't  you  let  me  get  some  candy  now  ? 
If  I  knew  what  kind  you  liked,  Mrs.  Forbes,  I  'd 
get  it." 

"  I  don't  eat  candy  as  a  rule.  It 's  not  only  ex 
travagant,  it 's  very  unhealthy." 

The  little  girl  smiled.  "  How  do  you  suppose  your 
stomach  knows  what  you  put  into  it  ? "  she  asked. 
"  I  guess  you  're  just  a  little  —  bit  —  afraid,  are  n't 
you  ?  " 


A  SHOPPING  EXPEDITION  105 

"  Odder  than  Dick's  hatband  ! "  quoth  Mrs.  Forbes 
again,  mentally.  "  I  take  horehound  drops  sometimes," 
she  said  aloud,  "  for  a  cold." 

"  Can't  you  sneeze  a  little  now  ? "  asked  Jewel, 
amusement  twinkling  in  her  blue  eyes.  "  I  do  want  so 
much  to  go  in  here." 

"  Don't  tempt  Providence  by  making  fun  of  sickness, 
Julia,  or  you  '11  live  to  regret  it,"  returned  Mrs. 
Forbes.  "  I  don't  mind  getting  some  horehound 
drops,  but  be  careful  now  and  don't  spend  too  much. 
A  little  girl's  money  always  burns  in  her  pocket." 

"  Yes'm,"  returned  the  child  dutifully,  skipping  up 
to  the  door  of  the  shop  and  opening  it. 

Mrs.  Forbes  followed  slowly,  and  once  inside,  fell 
into  conversation  with  the  girl  of  whom  she  bought 
the  cough  candy.  This  gave  Jewel  opportunity  to  buy 
beside  her  caramels  one  of  the  lovely  yellow  chickens, 
which  she  designed  for  a  special  purpose. 

"  Now  don't  yoii  eat  that  candy  before  lunch.  It 
will  take  away  your  appetite.  It  is  nearly  lunch  time 
now,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes  as  they  left  the  store. 

"  And  won't  you  either  ?  "  asked  the  child,  offering 
the  open  caramel  bag  with  a  spontaneous  politeness 
which  somehow  made  the  housekeeper  feel  at  a  disad 
vantage. 

"  No,  thank  you.  Stop  that  car,  Julia,  and  make 
them  wait  for  me,"  she  said,  making  haste  slowly. 

Once  within,  it  took  Mrs.  Forbes  a  minute  or  two  to 
get  her  breath,  but  she  soon  noticed  that  her  companion's 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  a  man  seated  a  little  way  from 
them  across  the  car.  A  smile  kept  coming  to  the  child's 
lips,  and  at  last  the  gentleman  himself  recognized  that 


106  JEWEL 

he  was  an  object  of  interest.  He  looked  at  the  strange 
little  girl  kindly.  Her  hand  went  unconsciously  to  the 
small  gold  pin  she  wore.  The  man  smiled  and  touched 
one  of  similar  pattern  which  was  fastening  his  tie. 
In  a  minute  more  his  street  was  reached,  and  as  he 
passed  Jewel  on  his  way  out  of  the  car,  he  stooped  and 
gave  her  ready  hand  a  little  pressure. 

She  colored  with  pleasure,  and  Mrs.  Forbes  swelled 
with  curiosity  and  disapproval.  She  knew  the  man  by 
sight  as  a  highly  respectable  citizen.  What  was  this 
wild  Western  child  doing  now?  The  car  made  too 
much  noise  to  permit  of  investigation,  so  she  waited 
until  they  had  left  it  and  entered  the  park  gates. 

"  Julia,"  she  said  then,  "  where  did  you  ever  see 
that  gentleman  before  ?  " 

"  I  never  did,"  replied  the  child. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  such  bold  actions,  then  ? 
What  will  he  think  of  you  ?  " 

"  He  '11  think  it 's  all  right,"  returned  Jewel.  "  We 
have  the  same  —  the  same  friends." 

The  housekeeper  looked  at  her.  It  was  beneath 
her  dignity  to  ask  further  questions  at  present,  but 
some  time  she  meant  to  renew  the  subject. 

"  It 's  very  wrong  for  a  little  girl  to  take  any  notice 
of  strangers,"  she  said. 

"Yes'm,"  replied  Jewel,  "but  he  was — different." 

Mrs.  Forbes  maintained  silence  henceforth  until  they 
reached  home.  "  You  may  hang  your  hat  and  jacket 
in  the  closet  under  the  stairs  whenever  you  don't  wish 
to  go  to  your  room,"  she  said  when  she  parted  with 
her  companion  at  the  piazza,  "  but  don't  wander  away 
anywhere  before  lunch." 


A   SHOPPING  EXPEDITION  107 

"  No'm.     Thank  you  for  taking  me,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  You  're  welcome,"  returned  that  lady,  and  the  long 
black  veil  swept  majestically  toward  the  barn. 

Sweet  and  rippling  music  was  proceeding  from  the 
house.  Jewel  tiptoed  across  the  piazza  to  a  long  win 
dow,  from  whence  she  could  see  the  interior  of  the 
drawing-room. 

"  It  is  the  enchanted  maiden,"  she  said  to  herself, 
and  sank  down  softly  by  the  window,  listening  eagerly 
to  the  melodious  strains  and  smooth  runs  which  flowed 
from  beneath  the  slender  fingers.  One  piece  followed 
another  in  quick  succession,  now  gay,  now  grave,  and 
the  listener  scarcely  stirred  in  her  enjoyment. 

At  last,  suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  a  Grieg  melody, 
the  player  ceased,  and  crossing  her  arms  upon  the 
empty  music  rack,  bowed  her  head  upon  them  in  such 
an  attitude  of  abandon  that  Jewel's  heart  leaped  in 
sympathy. 

"  Oh  cousin  Eloise !  What  does  make  her  so  sorry?  " 
she  thought.  The  child's  intuition  had  been  strong  to 
perceive  the  nature  of  her  aunt  Madge.  "  It  must 
be  such  an  awful  thing  to  have  your  own  mother  an 
error  fairy.  That  must  be  the  reason.  I  wish  I 
could  tell  her  "  Jewel  jumped  to  her  feet,  but  just 
as  she  was  determining  to  go  to  her  cousin,  the  soft- 
toned  gong  pealed  its  mellow  summons,  and  she  saw 
Eloise  rise  from  the  piano  in  time  to  meet  her  mother, 
who  at  that  moment  entered  the  room. 

Jewel  went  into  the  house,  hung  up  her  hat  and  jacket, 
and  deposited  her  packages.  By  the  time  she  reached 
the  dining-room  her  aunt  and  cousin  were  already 
seated.  Mrs.  Evringham  put  up  her  lorgnette  as  she 


108  JEWEL 

greeted  the  child.  Eloise  nodded  a  grave  good-morning, 
and  Mrs.  Forbes  began  to  serve  the  luncheon. 

Jewel  looked  in  vain  for  any  trace  of  excitement  or 
tears  on  her  cousin's  lovely  face.  Eloise  did  not  address 
her  or  any  one.  Mrs.  Evringham  did  the  talking. 
After  a  question  as  to  how  Jewel  had  spent  the  morn 
ing,  and  without  listening  to  the  child's  reply,  she 
began  to  talk  to  her  daughter  of  a  drive  she  wished  to 
take  that  afternoon. 

Jewel  discerned  that  Mrs.  Forbes  was  not  kindly 
disposed  toward  the  mother  and  daughter,  and  that 
they  ignored  the  housekeeper ;  that  Eloise  was  languid 
and  out  of  sympathy  with  her  mother,  and  that  Mrs. 
Evringham  was  impatient  with  her,  often  to  the  verge 
of  sharpness.  The  child  was  glad  when  luncheon  was 
over ;  but  before  going  upstairs  she  brought  her  small 
bag  of  caramels  and  offered  them  to  the  ladies. 

Mrs.  Evringham  gave  a  little  laugh  of  surprise  and 
looked  at  Eloise,  who  took  one  with  a  sober  "  Thank 

you." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  could,  child,"  said  aunt  Madge, 
glancing  with  amusement  at  the  striped  bag.  "  Keep 
them  for  yourself." 

"  You  '11  have  some,  won't  you,  Mrs.  Forbes  ?  "  asked 
Jewel,  and  the  housekeeper  so  strongly  disapproved  of 
Mrs.  Evringham's  manner  that  she  accepted. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  try  some  of  our  candy, 
Julia,"  said  Mrs.  Evringham,  as  the  child  followed  her 
aunt  and  cousin  upstairs. 

Jewel  paused  while  aunt  Madge  brought  from  her 
room  into  the  hall  a  large  box,  beribboned  and  laced, 
full  of  a  variety  of  confections. 


A   SHOPPING  EXPEDITION  109 

"  How  pretty  !  "  exclaimed  the  child. 

"  This  is  from  your  friend,  Dr.  Ballard,"  said  her 
aunt.  "  He  sent  it  to  the  charming  little  girl, 
Eloise." 

Jewel,  running  on  up  to  her  room  eating  the  creamy 
chocolate,  wondered  still  more  why  her  cousin  should 
seem  so  sorry,  with  so  much  to  make  her  happy. 

"  Now,  Anna  Belle,  the  time  has  really  come,"  she 
said  happily  to  her  doll,  as  she  took  her  in  her  arms 
and  began  putting  on  her  jacket  and  hat.  "  We  're 
going  away  from  Castle  Discord  to  seek  our  fortunes. 
We  're  going  to  leave  the  giantess,  and  leave  the  im 
polite  error  fairy,  and  leave  the  poor  enchanted  maiden, 
and  go  to  find  the  ravine  and  the  brook.  Wait  till  I 
put  on  my  oldest  shoes,  for  we  shall  have  to  climb 
deep,  deep  down  to  get  near  to  father." 

At  last  she  was  ready,  and  when  she  had  closed  the 
heavy  house  door  behind  her,  and  had  run  down  the 
driveway  to  the  park  road,  a  delicious  sense  of  freedom 
possessed  her. 

"  There  goes  the  little  Westerner,"  observed  Mrs. 
Evringham,  looking  from  her  window.  "  It 's  a  good 
thing  she  knows  how  to  amuse  herself." 

"  A  good  thing,  indeed,"  returned  Eloise.  "  There 
is  no  one  here  to  do  anything  for  her." 

"  She  has  wonderful  assurance  for  such  a  plain  little 
monkey,"  went  on  Mrs.  Evringham. 

"  She  has  extremely  good  breeding,"  returned  her 
daughter,  coming  to  the  window  and  following  Jewel's 
retreating  figure  with  her  eyes,  "  and  a  charming  face 
when  she  smiles." 

"  Very  well.     Look  out  for  yourself,  then.     I  thought 


110  JEWEL 

last  night,  once  or  twice,  at  dinner,  that  she  was  rather 
entertaining  to  her  grandfather." 

"  She  has  her  doll,"  said  Eloise  wistfully.  "  AVhere 
can  she  be  going  ?  I  wish  I  were  going  with  her." 

Mrs.  Evringham  laughed.  "Well  you  are  bored. 
Pshaw,  my  dear !  Lie  down  and  get  a  little  beauty 
sleep.  Then  we  will  go  driving  and  see  that  charming 
spot  Dr.  Ballard  told  us  about.  I  'm  sure  he  will  call 
to-ni^ht." 


CHAPTER  X 

THE   RAVINE 

OUTSIDE  tlie  well-kept  roads  of  Bel-Air  Park,  Nature 
had  been  encouraged  to  work  her  sweet  will.  The 
drive  wound  along  the  edge  of  *a  picturesque  gorge, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  Jewel  found  the  scene  of 
her  father's  favorite  stories. 

The  sides  of  the  ravine  were  studded  with  tall  trees, 
and  in  its  depths  flowed  a  brook,  unusually  full  now 
from  the  spring  rains. 

The  child  lost  no  time  in  creeping  beneath  the  slender 
wire  fence  at  the  roadside,  and  scrambling  down  the 
incline.  The  brook  whispered  and  gurgled,  wild  flowers 
sprang  amid  the  ferns  in  the  shelter  and  moisture. 
The  child  was  enraptured. 

"  Oh,  Anna  Belle  !  "  she  exclaimed,  hugging  the  doll 
for  pure  joy.  "  Castle  Discord  is  far  away.  There  's 
nobody  down  here  but  God !  " 

For  hours  she  played  happily  in  the  enchanting  spot, 
all  unconscious  of  time.  Anna  Belle  lay  on  a  bed  of 
moss,  while  Jewel  became  acquainted  with  her  wonder 
ful  new  playmate,  the  brook.  The  only  body  of  water 
with  which  she  had  been  familiar  hitherto  was  Lake 
Michigan.  Now  she  drew  stones  out  of  the  bank  and 
made  dams  and  waterfalls.  She  sailed  boats  of  chips 
and  watched  them  shoot  the  tiny  rapids.  She  lay  down 


112  JEWEL 

on  the  bank  beside  Anna  Belle  and  gazed  up  through 
the  leafy  treetops.  Many  times  this  programme  had 
been  varied,  when  at  last  equipages  began  to  pass  on 
the  road  above.  She  could  see  twinkling  wheels  and 
smart  liveries. 

With  a  start  of  recollection,  she  considered  that  she 
might  have  been  a  long  time  in  the  ravine. 

"  I  wish  somebody  would  let  me  bring  a  watch  the 
next  time,"  she  said  to  her  doll,  as  she  took  her  up. 
"  Have  n't  we  had  a  beautiful  afternoon,  Anna  Belle  ? 
Let 's  call  it  the  Ravine  of  Happiness,  and  we  '11  come 
here  every  day  —  just  every  day ;  but  perhaps  it 's 
time  for  grandpa  to  be  home,  dearie,  so  we  must  go 
back  to  the  castle."  She  sighed  unconsciously  as  she 
began  climbing  up  the  steep  bank  and  crept  under  the 
wire.  "  I  hope  we  have  n't  stayed  very  long,  because 
the  giantess  might  not  like  it,"  she  continued  uneasily  ; 
but  as  she  set  her  feet  in  the  homeward  road,  every 
sensation  of  anxiety  fled  before  an  approaching  vision. 
She  saw  a  handsome  man  in  riding  dress  mounted  on 
a  shining  horse  with  arched  neck,  that  lifted  its  feet 
daintily  as  it  pranced  along  the  tree-lined  avenue. 

"  Grandpa !  "  ejaculated  Jewel,  stepping  to  the  road 
side  and  pausing,  her  hands  clasped  beneath  her  chin 
and  her  eyes  shining  with  admiration. 

Mr.  Evringham  drew  rein,  not  displeased  by  the 
encounter.  The  child  apparently  could  not  speak.  She 
eyed  the  horse  rather  than  its  rider,  a  fact  which  the 
latter  observed  and  enjoyed. 

"  Remind  you  of  the  horse  show  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  It  is  the  horse  show,"  rejoined  the  child. 

"This  is  Essex  Maid,  Jewel,"  said  Mr.  Evringham. 


THE   BROOK    WHISPERED   AND   GURGLED 


THE  RAVINE  113 

He  patted  the  mare's  shining  neck.  "  You  shall  go 
out  to  the  barn  with  me  some  time  and  visit  her." 
His  eyes  wandered  over  the  ruffled  hair,  the  hat  on 
the  back  of  the  child's  head,  and  the  wet  spots  on 
her  dress.  "  Run  home  now,"  he  added.  "  I  heard 
Mrs.  Forbes  asking  for  you  as  I  came  out." 

He  rode  on,  and  Jewel,  her  face  radiant,  followed 
him  with  her  eyes.  In  a  minute  he  turned,  and  she 
threw  rapid  kisses  after  him.  He  raised  his  hat,  and 
then  a  curve  in  the  road  hid  him  from  view. 

Jewel  sighed  rapturously  and  hurried  along  the 
road.  The  giantess  had  asked  for  her.  Ah,  what 
a  happy  world  it  would  be  if  there  were  nothing  at 
Bel- Air  Park  but  grandpa,  his  horses,  and  the  ravine ! 

Mrs.  Forbes  espied  the  child  in  the  distance,  and 
was  at  the  door  when  she  came  in. 

"  After  this,  Julia,  you  must  never  go  away  without 
telling  me  where  "  -  she  began,  when  her  eyes  recog 
nized  the  condition  of  the  gingham  frock,  and  the 
child's  feet.  "  Look  how  you  've  drabbled  your  dress !  " 
she  ejaculated. 

"  It 's  clean  water}"  returned  Jewel. 

"  But  your  feet !  Why,  Julia  Evringham,  they  are 
as  wet  as  sop  !  Where  have  you  been  ?  " 

"  Playing  by  the  brook  in  the  ravine." 

Mrs.  Forbes  groaned.  "  Nothing  will  satisfy  a  child 
but  finding  the  place  where  they  can  get  the  dirtiest 
and  make  the  most  trouble.  Why  .didn't  you  wear 
your  rubbers,  you  naughty  girl  ?  " 

"  Why  —  why —  it  was  n't  raining." 

"  Raining !  Those  rubbers  are  to  keep  your  feet 
dry.  Have  n't  you  got  any  sense  ?  " 


114  JEWEL 

Jewel  looked  a  little  pale.  "  I  did  n't  know  1  should 
get  wet  in  the  brook,"  she  answered. 

"  Well,  go  right  upstairs  now,  up  the  backstairs, 
and  take  off  every  one  of  those  wet  things.  Let  me 
feel  your  petticoat.  Yes,  that 's  wet,  too.  You  un 
dress  and  get  into  a  hot  bath,  and  then  you  put  on  your 
nightgown  and  go  right  to  bed." 

"  Go  to  bed  !  "  echoed  the  child,  bewildered. 

"  Yes,  to  bed.  You  won't  come  down  to  dinner. 
Perhaps  that  will  teach  you  to  wear  your  rubbers  next 
time  and  be  more  careful." 

Jewel  found  the  backstairs  and  ascended  them,  her 
little  heart  hot  within  her. 

"  She  's  the  impolitest  woman  in  the  whole  world, 
Anna  Belle  !  "  she  whispered.  "  I  'm  going  to  not  cry. 
Mother  did  n't  know  what  impoliteness  there  was  at 
grandpa's  or  she  would  n't  have  let  us  come." 

The  child's  eyes  were  bright  as  she  found  her  room 
and  began  undressing.  "  But  you  must  n't  be  angry, 
dearie,"  she  continued  excitedly  to  her  doll.  "  It 's 
the  worst  error  to  be  angry,  because  it  means  hating. 
You  treat  me,  Anna  Belle,  and  I  '11  treat  you,"  she 
went  on,  unfastening  her  clothes  with  unsteady  hands. 

With  many  a  pause  to  work  at  a  refractory  elastic  or 
button,  and  many  interruptions  from  catches  in  her 
breath,  she  murmured  aloud  during  the  progress  of  her 
undressing:  "Dear  Father  in  Heaven,  I  seem  to  feel 
sorry  all  over,  and  full  of  error.  Help  me  to  know 
that  I  'm  not  a  mortal  mind  little  girl,  hating  and 
angry,  but  I  am  Thy  child,  and  the  only  things  I  know 
are  good,  happy  things.  Error  has  no  power  and  Love 
has  all  power.  I  love  Mrs.  Forbes,  and  she  loves  me. 


THE  RAVINE  115 

Thou  art  here  even  in  this  house,  and  please  help  me 
to  know  that  one  of  Thy  children  cannot  hurt  another." 
Here  Jewel  slipped  into  the  new  wrapper  her  mother 
had  made,  and  hurried  into  the  white  tiled  bathroom 
near  by.  While  she  let  the  water  run  into  the  tub 
she  put  her  hand  into  her  pocket  mechanically,  in  search 
of  a  handkerchief,  and  when  she  felt  the  crisp  touch  of 
paper  she  drew  it  out  eagerly.  It  was  covered,  and  she 
read  the  words  written  in  her  mother's  distinct  hand. 

"  Love  to  my  Jewel.  Is  she  making  a  stepping- 
stone  of  every  trial,  and  learning  to  think  less  and  less 
about  herself,  and  more  and  more  about  other  people  ? 
And  does  she  remember  that  little  girls  cannot  always 
understand  the  error  that  grown-up  people  have  to 
meet,  especially  those  who  have  not  Science  to  help 
them?  They  must  be  treated  very  gently,  and  I  hope 
my  little  Jewel  will  be  always  kind  and  patient,  and 
make  her  new  friends  glad  she  is  there." 

The  child  folded  the  paper  and  put  it  carefully  back 
in  her  pocket.  Then  she  took  her  bath,  and  returning 
to  her  room  undressed  her  doll  in  silence.  Finally, 
changing  her  wrapper  for  her  nightdress,  she  climbed 
into  bed,  where  she  lay  thinking  and  looking  at  the 
sunlight  on  the  wall. 

At  dinner  time  the  maid  Sarah  appeared  with  a  tray. 
"  Here  's  your  dinner,  Miss  Julia,"  she  said,  looking  at 
the  heavy-eyed  little  girl.  "  It 's  too  bad  you  're  not 
well." 

"  I  am  well,  thank  you,"  replied  Jewel.  "  I  'm  sorry 
you  had  to  carry  that  heavy  tray  up  so  many  stairs." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mind  that,"  returned  the  girl  good- 
naturedly.  "  I  '11  set  it  right  here  by  the  bed." 


116  JEWEL 

"  Is  grandpa  down  there  ?  "  asked  Jewel  wistfully. 

"  Yes,  Miss  Julia.  They  're  all  eating  their  dinner. 
I  hope  you  '11  enjoy  yours." 

Sarah  went  away,  and  the  little  girl  spread  some 
bread  and  butter  and  ate  it  slowly. 

Meanwhile,  when  the  family  had  gathered  at  the 
dinner  table,  Mr.  Evringham  looked  up  at  his  house 
keeper. 

"  Where  is  Jewel  ?  "  he  asked  shortly.  "  I  object 
to  her  being  unpunctual." 

"  Yes,  sir.  She  is  having  dinner  in  her  room.  She 
was  very  naughty  and  got  wet  in  the  brook." 

"  Ah,  indeed !  "  Mr.  Evringham  frowned  and  looked 
down.  He  had  been  a  little  disappointed  that  the 
bright  face  was  not  watching  to  see  him  come  home 
from  his  ride,  but  of  course  discipline  must  be  main 
tained.  "  I  'm  sorry  to  hear  this,"  he  added. 

Mrs.  Evringham  and  Eloise  found  him  a  shade  less 
taciturn  than  usual  to-night.  He  felt  vaguely  that  he 
now  had  an  ally  of  his  own  flesh  and  blood  in  the 
house,  a  spirit  sufficiently  kindred  to  prefer  his  society 
to  theirs,  and  this  made  him  unusually  lenient. 

He  meant  to  go  upstairs  after  dinner,  and  warn 
Jewel  to  be  more  careful  in  future  to  conform  to  all 
Mrs.  Forbes's  rules ;  but  the  meal  was  scarcely  over 
when  a  friend  called  to  get  him  to  attend  some  business 
meeting  held  that  evening  in  the  interests  of  the  town, 
and  he  became  interested  in  his  statements  and  went 
away  with  him. 

"  Was  n't  father  quite  agreeable  this  evening  ? " 
asked  Mrs.  Evringham  of  Eloise.  "  What  did  I  tell 
you  ?  I  could  see  that  he  felt  relief  because  that  plain 


THE  RAVINE  117 

little  creature  was  not  in  evidence.  Father  always  was 
so  fastidious.  Of  course  it  is  selfish  in  a  way,  but  it 
is  no  use  to  blame  men  for  caring  for  beauty.  They 
will  do  it." 

"  It  was  a  shame  to  make  that  little  girl  stay  up 
stairs,"  returned  Eloise.  "  I  judge  she  managed  to 
amuse  herself  this  afternoon,  and  so  she  gets  punished 
for  it.  I  should  like  to  go  up  and  sit  with  her." 

"  It  would  not  be  worth  while,"  returned  Mrs.  Ev- 
ringham  quickly.  "  I  'm  sure  Dr.  Ballard  will  be  here 
soon.  You  would  have  to  come  right  down  again." 

"  That  is  not  the  reason  I  don't  go,"  returned  the 
girl.  "  It  is  because  I  am  not  an  Evringham,  and  I 
have  determined  not  to  arrive  at  friendly  relations  with 
any  one  of  the  name.  When  I  once  escape  from  here, 
they  will  have  seen  the  last  of  me." 

"  The  way  of  escape  lies  open,"  returned  her  mother 
soothingly.  "  I  'm  glad  you  have  on  that  gown.  If  a 
man  cares  for  a  woman,  he  always  loves  to  see  her  in 
white." 

As  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  Mrs.  Forbes  ascended 
the  stairs  to  see  her  prisoner.  Jewel  was  lying  quietly 
in  bed,  the  tray,  apparently  untouched,  beside  her.  The 
latter  circumstance  Mrs.  Forbes  observed  at  once. 

"  Why  have  n't  you  eaten  your  dinner,  Julia  ?  "  she 
asked.  "  I  hope  you  are  not  sulking." 

"No'm.  I  don't  believe  I  am.  I  don't  know  what 
that  means." 

"  You  don't  know  what  sulky  means  ?  "  suspiciously. 
"  It  is  very  naughty  for  a  little  girl  to  refuse  to  eat  her 
dinner  because  she  is  angry  at  being  punished  for  her 
own  good." 


118  JEWEL 

"  Did  you  send  me  to  bed  because  you  loved  me  ?  " 
asked  Jewel.  Her  cheeks  were  very  red,  but  even  the 
disconcerted  housekeeper  could  see  that  she  was  not  ex 
cited  or  angry. 

"  Everybody  loves  good  little  girls,"  returned  Mrs. 
Forbes.  "  Now  eat  your  dinner,  Julia,  so  I  can  carry 
down  the  tray." 

"  I  did  eat  the  bread.  It  was  all  I  wanted.  It  was 
very  nice." 

The  polite  addition  made  the  housekeeper  uncertain. 
While  she  paused  Jewel  added,  "  I  wish  I  could  see 
grandpa." 

"  He  's  gone  out  on  business.  He  won't  be  back 
until  after  you  are  asleep.  And  if  you  were  thinking 
of  complaining  to  him,  Julia;  I  can  tell  you  it  won't  do 
any  good.  He  will  trust  everything  to  me." 

"  Do  you  think  I  would  trouble  grandpa  ?  "  returned 
the  child. 

The  housekeeper  looked  at  her  in  silent  perplexity. 
The  blue  eyes  were  direct  and  innocent,  but  there  was 
a  heaviness  about  them  that  stirred  Mrs.  Forbes  un 
comfortably. 

"  You  must  have  got  too  tired  playing  this  afternoon, 
Julia,"  she  said  decisively,  "  or  you  would  be  hungry  for 
your  dinner.  You  took  that  hot  bath  I  told  you  to  ?  " 

"  Yes'm." 

"  Where  have  you  put  your  wet  things  ?  Oh,  I  see, 
you  've  spread  them  out  very  nicely ;  but  those  shoes 
—  I  shall  have  to  have  them  cleaned  and  polished  for 
you.  Now  go  to  sleep  as  quick  as  you  can  and  have 
a  long  night's  rest.  I  'm  sure  the  next  time  you  go 
out  you  won't  be  so  careless." 


THE  RAVINE  119 

Jewel's  eyes  followed  the  speaker  as  she  bustled 
about  and  at  last  took  up  the  tray. 

"  Will  you  kiss  me  good-night,  Mrs.  Forbes  ?  "  asked 
the  child. 

The  surprised  housekeeper  set  down  her  burden, 
stooped  over  the  bed  and  kissed  her. 

"There  now,  I  see  you  're  sorry,"  she  said,  somewhat 
touched. 

Jewel  gave  her  a  little  smile.  "  No'm,  I  've  stopped 
being  sorry,"  she  replied. 

"  She  'd  puzzle  a  Philadelphia  lawyer,"  soliloquized 
the  housekeeper  as  she  descended  the  stairs  with  the 
tray.  "  I  suppose  her  mother  is  uneducated  and  uses 
queer  English.  As  the  old  ones  croak,  the  young  ones 
learn.  The  child  uses  words  nobody  ever  heard  of, 
and  is  ignorant  of  the  commonest  ones.  I  'm  glad 
she 's  so  fond  of  me  if  I  've  got  to  take  care  of  her." 


CHAPTER  XI 

DR.    BALLARD 

MR.  EVRINGHAM  looked  about,  half  in  apprehension, 
half  in  anticipation,  as  he  entered  the  dining-room  the 
following  morning.  Jewel  had  not  arrived,  so  he  settled 
himself  to  read  his  paper.  Each  time  there  was  a 
sound  he  glanced  up,  bracing  himself  for  the  approach 
of  light  feet,  beaming  face,  and  an  ardent  embrace. 
His  interest  in  the  news  gradually  lessened,  and  his 
expectancy  increased.  She  did  not  come.  At  last  he 
began  to  suspect  that  the  unprecedented  had  happened, 
and  that  Mrs.  Forbes  herself  was  late. 

He  looked  at  his  watch  with  suddenly  rising  amaze 
ment.  It  was  ten  minutes  past  the  appointed  time. 
He  began  feeling  around  with  his  foot  for  the  electric 
bell.  It  was  an  unaccustomed  movement,  for  his  wishes 
were  usually"  anticipated.  By  the  time  he  found  it,  he 
had  become  a  seriously  injured  man,  and  the  peal  he 
rang  summoned  Sarah  suddenly. 

"  Bring  me  my  coffee  at  once,  if  you  please.  What 
is  the  matter?  " 

The  maid  did  not  know.  He  was  drinking  his  first 
cup  when  the  housekeeper  entered  the  room,  flushed  of 
countenance. 

"  You  '11  have  to  excuse  me,  Mr.  Evringham.  I 
could  n't  come  a  minute  sooner.  Julia  is  bick." 


DR.  BALLARD  121 

"  Sick !     I  should  like  to  know  why  ?  " 

"  Why,  she  got  sopping  wet  in  that  brook  yesterday, 
and  here,  just  as  I  knew  it  would  be,  she  's  got  a  fever." 

"  A  fever,  eh  ? "  repeated  Mr.  Evringham  in  a 
startled  tone. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  what 's  more,  when  I  told  her  you 
would  send  for  the  doctor,  it  was  worse  than  about  the 
rubbers.  She  talked  all  the  rubbish  you  can  think 
of.  I  'in  sure  she  's  flighty  —  said  she  never  had  a 
doctor,  that  she  always  got  well,  and  even  cried  when 
I  told  her  that  that  was  nonsense." 

"  Was  she  ill  all  night,  do  you  think?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  I  found  her  trying  to  get  up  when 
I  went  to  her  room,  and  I  saw  at  once  that  she  was  n't 
able  to." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Forbes,  all  I  can  do  is  to  ask  your  par 
don  for  adding  so  much  to  your  cares.  Let  Sarah 
bring  me  my  eggs,  and  then,  if  you  please,  telephone 
for  Dr.  Ballard  to  come  over  before  his  office  hour." 

"  I  will,  sir,  but  I  '11  ask  you  to  see  the  child  before 
you  go  to  town  and  make  her  promise  to  behave  about 
the  doctor.  You  'd  have  thought  I  was  asking  to  let 
in  a  roaring  lion." 

"  Shy,  probably." 

"  Shy !     That  child  shy !  "  thought  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  She  knows  Dr.  Ballard,"  continued  the  broker, 
"  and  if  you  had  thought  to  mention  him,  she  would  n't 
have  made  any  fuss." 

"  If  you  '11  excuse  me  differing  with  you,  Mr.  Ev 
ringham,  I  don't  think  that  child  's  got  a  shy  bone  in 
her  body.  In  the  trolley  car  yesterday,  did  n't  she 
make  up  to  a  perfect  stranger!  She  eyed  him  and 


122  JEWEL 

fingered  that  little  gold  pin  she  wears,  till  he  smiled 
and  touched  one  of  the  same  pattern  in  his  own  cravat. 
Young  as  she  is,  she  's  some  kind  of  a  free  mason  or 
secret  society,  you  may  be  sure.  I  actually  saw  him 
take  her  hand  and  give  her  the  grip  as  he  got  out  of 
the  car.  Why  you  know  who  it  is,  it  was  Mr.  Reeves 
of  Highland  Street." 

"  H'm.  You  are  imaginative,  Mrs.  Forbes.  Mr. 
Reeves  is  fond  of  children,  and  Jewel  has  a  friendly 
way  of  looking  at  people." 

The  housekeeper  bridled.  "  Well,  all  is,  I  guess, 
you  '11  find  I  ain't  imaginative  when  you  come  to  talk 
with  her  about  the  doctor,"  was  the  firm  response. 
"  When  I  said  medicine  she  looked  as  scared  as  if  I  'd 
.  said  poison." 

"  H'm.  Been  dosed  then.  Mother  an  allopath 
probably.  Burnt  child  dreads  the  fire.  I  think 
homeopathy  is  the  thing  for  children.  Guy  will  do 
very  well.  Call  him  up  at  once,  please.  He  might  go 
out." 

When  Mr.  Evringham  had  finished  his  breakfast, 
he  climbed  to  the  white  room,  planning  as  he  went  a 
short  and  peremptory  speech  to  the  rebellious  one ; 
for  he  had  less  time  left  than  usual  for  his  daily  talk 
with  his  housekeeper  before  catching  the  train. 

The  curtains  in  the  room  were  half  drawn  as  he 
entered,  and  the  child's  figure  looked  small  in  the  big 
white  bed.  She  exclaimed  as  he  drew  near,  and  seiz 
ing  his  hand,  kissed  it. 

"  You  'd  better  not  kiss  me,  grandpa,  because  I  'm  so 
hot  and  uncomfortable,"  she  said  thickly.  "  Oh,  how 
I  wanted  to  see  you  all  night !  " 


DR.  BALLARD  123 

The  little  hands  clinging  to  his  were  burning.  He 
sat  down  on  the  edge  of  the  bed. 

"  I  'm  very  sorry  for  this,  Jewel.  It 's  your  own 
fault,  I  understand,  my  little  girl." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it  is.  When  I  first  called  the  house 
Castle  Discord  and  talked  to  Anna  Belle  about  the 
error  fairy,  and  the  enchanted  maiden,  and  the  giant 
ess,  I  did  n't  see  it  was  hate  creeping  in  and  making  me 
not  careful  to  deny  it  all.  I  know  it  is  all  my  fault." 

Mr.  Evringham  gazed  at  the  flushed  face  with 
startled  eyes.  "  Dear  me,  this  is  really  very  bad  !  "  he 
thought.  "  Delirious  so  early  in  the  morning.  I  wish 
Guy  would  come !  " 

"  Well,  we  '11  soon  have  Dr.  Ballard  here,"  he  said 
aloud,  trying  to  speak  soothingly.  "  He  '11  set  you  all 
right  very  soon." 

"  Oh,  grandpa,  dear  grandpa,"  with  the  utmost  earn 
estness,  "  woidd  you  please  not  send  for  the  doctor  ? 
I  won't  be  any  trouble.  I  don't  want  anything  to  eat, 
only  a  drink  of  water,  and  I  '11  soon  be  well." 

Her  beseeching  tone  and  her  helplessness  touched 
some  unsuspected  chord  in  her  listener's  breast. 

"  Jewel,  don't  you  want  to  go  out  to  the  stable  with 
me  and  feed  Essex  Maid  with  sugar  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  grandpa,"  with  a  half  sob. 

"  You  don't  want  me  to  be  unhappy  and  worried 
about  you  when  I  get  into  my  office  ?  " 

"  No,  grandpa." 

"  And  you  liked  Dr.  Ballard,  I  'm  sure,  when  you 
came  out  with  him  on  the  train  clay  before  yesterday." 

"  Day  before  yesterday  !  Oh,  was  it  ?  It  seems  a 
year  ago  !  But  I  wanted  to  come  and  see  you  so  much 


124  JEWEL 

I  was  willing  to  let  father  and  mother  go  away,  and  I 
never  thought  that  I  would  n't  know  when  error  was 
getting  hold  of  me." 

"  Well,  never  mind  now,  Jewel.  Dr.  Ballard  will 
help  you,  and  as  soon  as  you  get  well  I  '11  take  you 
for  a  fine  long  drive,  if  you  '11  be  good.  I  'm  sure  you 
don't  want  to  trouble  me." 

"  No."  Another  half  sob  caught  the  child's  throat. 
"  Here  is  something  I  bought  for  you  yesterday, 
grandpa."  She  drew  from  under  the  further  pillow 
the  yellow  chicken,  somewhat  disheveled,  and  put  it  in 
his  hand.  "  I  meant  to  give  it  to  you  last  night,  but 
Mrs.  Forbes  kept  me  upstairs  because  she  thought  she 
ought  to  make  me  sorry,  and  so  I  could  n't." 

The  stockbroker  cleared  his  throat  as  he  regarded 
his  new  possession.     "  It  was  kind  of  you,  Jewel,"  he 
returned.     "  I    shall    stand    it    on  my  desk.     Now  — 
ahem "  —  looking  around  the  big  empty  room,  "  you 
won't  be  lonely,  I  hope,  until  the  doctor  comes  ?  " 

"  No,  I  'd  like  to  be  alone,  I  have  so  much  work  to 
do." 

"  Dear  me,  dear  me ! "  thought  Mr.  Evriugham, 
"  this  is  very  distressing.  She  seems  to  have  lucid 
intervals,  and  then  so  quickly  gets  flighty  again." 

"  Besides,  I  like  to  think  of  the  Ravine  of  Happi 
ness,"  continued  the  child,  "  and  the  brook.  Supposing 
I  could  lay  my  cheek  down  in  the  brook  now.  The 
water  is  so  cool,  and  it  laughs  and  whispers  such  pretty 
things." 

"  Now  if  you  would  try  to  go  to  sleep,  Jewel,"  said 
Mr.  Evringham,  "  it  would  please  me  very  much. 
Good-by.  I  shall  come  to  see  you  again  to-night." 


DR.  BALLARD  125 

He  stooped  his  tall  form  and  kissed  the  child's  forehead, 
and  her  hot  lips  pressed  his  hand,  then  he  went  out. 

At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  he  encountered  Mrs.  Forbes 
waiting,  and  hastily  put  behind  him  the  hand  that  held 
the  chicken. 

"Well,  sir?" 

"  She 's  very  badly  off,  very  badly  off,  I  'm  afraid." 

"  I  hope  not,  sir.  Children  are  always  flighty  if  they 
have  a  little  fever.  What  about  dinner,  sir?  " 

"  Have  anything  you  please,"  returned  Mr.  Evring- 
ham  briefly.  "  I  wish  to  see  Dr.  Ballard  as  soon  as  he 
arrives.  Tell  Zeke  I  shall  not  go  until  the  next  train." 
With  these  words  the  broker  entered  his  study,  and  his 
housekeeper  looked  after  him  in  amazement.  It  was 
the  first  time  she  had  ever  seen  him  indifferent  con 
cerning  his  dinner. 

"  I  wonder  if  he  thinks  she  's  got  something  catch 
ing,"  she  soliloquized.  Then  a  sudden  thought  occurred 
to  her.  "  No  great  loss  without  some  small  gain,"  she 
thought  grimly.  "  'T  would  clear  the  house." 

She  watched  at  the  window  until  she  saw  Dr.  Bal- 
lard's  buggy  approaching.  Then  she  opened  the  door 
and  met  him. 

"  Your  little  visitor  do  you  say  ? ';  asked  the  young 
doctor  as  he  greeted  her  and  entered.  "  What  mischief 
has  she  been  up  to  so  soon  ?  " 

"  Oh,  the  usual  sort,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes,  and 
recounted  her  grievances.  "  She  's  the  oddest  child  in 
the  world,"  she  finished,  "  and  her  last  freak  is  that 
she  does  n't  want  to  have  a  doctor." 

"  Dear  me,  what  heresy  !  The  young  man  smiled 
"  Which  room,  Mrs.  Forbes  ?  " 


126  JEWEL 

"  Please  go  into  the  library  first,  Dr.  Ballard.  Mr. 
Evringham  is  waiting  to  see  you." 

The  broker  was  sitting  before  his  desk  as  the  doctor 
entered,  and  he  turned  with  a  brief  greeting. 

"  I  'in  glad  you  've  come,  Ballard.  I  'm  very  much 
troubled  about  the  child.  Her  father  and  mother 
abroad  you  understand,  and  I  feel  the  responsibility. 
She  seems  very  flighty,  quite  wild  in  her  talk  at  mo 
ments.  I  wished  to  warn  you  that  one  of  her  feverish 
ideas  is  that  she  does  n't  want  a  doctor.  You  will  have 
to  use  some  tact." 

The  physician's  face  lost  its  careless  smile.  "  Deliri 
ous,  you  say?" 

"  Yes,  go  right  up,  Guy.  I  '11  wait  for  you  here. 
It 's  so  sudden.  She  was  quite  well,  to  all  appearances, 
yesterday." 

"  Children  are  sensitive  little  mortals,"  remarked 
Dr.  Ballard,  and  then  Mrs.  Forbes  ushered  him  up  to 
the  white  room.  He  asked  her  to  remain  within  call, 
and  entered  alone. 

The  child's  eyes  were  open  as  he  approached  the  bed, 
the  black  case  she  remembered  in  his  hand.  By  her 
expression  he  saw  that  her  mind  was  clear. 

"  Well,  well,  Jewel,  this  is  n't  the  way  I  meant  you 
to  receive  me  the  first  time  I  called,"  he  said  pleasantly, 
drawing  up  a  chair  beside  the  bed.  The  child  put  out 
her  hand  to  his  offered  one  and  tried  to  smile.  As  he 
held  the  hand  he  felt  her  pulse.  "  This  is  n't  the  way 
to  behave  when  you  go  visiting,"  he  added. 

"  I  know  it  is  n't,"  returned  Jewel  contritely. 

"  The  next  time  you  go  wading  in  the  brook,  take  off 
your  shoes  and  stockings,  little  one,  and  I  think  you 


DR.  BALLARD  127 

would  better  wait  until  later  in  the  season,  anyway. 
You  've  made  quick  work  of  this  business."  As  he 
talked  the  doctor  took  his  little  thermometer  out  of  its 
case.  "  Now  then,  let  me  slip  this  under  your  tongue." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Jewel,  shrinking. 

"  What !  Have  n't  you  ever  had  your  temperature 
tried  ?  Well,  you  have  been  a  healthy  little  girl !  All 
the  better.  Just  take  it  under  the  tongue,  and  don't 
speak  for  a  minute,  please." 

"  Please  don't  ask  me  to.     I  can't." 

"  There  's  nothing  to  be  afraid  of.  It  won't  hurt 
you."  The  doctor  smiled. 

"  I  know  what  that  is  now,"  said  Jewel,  regarding 
the  little  tube.  "  A  man  was  cured  of  paralysis  once 
by  having  a  thing  like  that  stuck  in  his  mouth.  He 
thought  it  was  meant  to  cure  him.  I  have  n't  paraly 
sis." 

The  doctor  began  to  consider  that  perhaps  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham  had  not  exaggerated.  "  Come,  Jewel,"  he  said 
kindly.  "  I  thought  we  were  such  good  friends.  You 
are  wasting  my  time." 

A  moment  more  of  hesitation,  and  then  the  child  sud 
denly  opened  her  mouth  and  accepted  the  thermometer. 
She  kept  her  eyes  closed  during  the  process  of  waiting, 
and  at  last  Dr.  Ballard  took  out  the  little  instrument 
and  examined  it. 

"  Let  me  see  your  tongue." 

The  child  stared  in  surprise. 

"  Put  out  your  tongue,  Jewel,"  he  repeated  kindly. 

"  But  that  is  so  impolite,"  she  protested. 

He  changed  his  position.  The  poor  little  thing  was 
flighty,  and  no  wonder,  with  such  a  temperature.  He 


128  JEWEL 

took  her  hand  again.  "  I  '11  overlook  the  impoliteness. 
Run  out  your  tongue  now.  Far  as  you  can,  dear." 

The  child  obeyed. 

Presently  she  said,  "  I  feel  very  uncomfortable,  Dr. 
Ballard.  I  don't  feel  a  bit  like  visiting,  so  if  you 
would  n't  mind  going  away  until  I  feel  better.  You 
interrupted  me  when  you  came  in.  I  have  lots  of  work 
to  do  yet.  When  I  get  well  I  'd  just  love  to  see  you. 
I  'd  rather  see  you  than  almost  anybody  in  Bel- Air." 

"  Yes,  yes,  dear.  I  '11  go  away  very  soon.  Where  does 
your  throat  feel  sore  ?  Put  your  linger  on  the  place." 

Jewel  looked  up  with  all  the  rebuke  she  could  con 
vey.  "  You  ought  not  to  ask  me  that,"  she  returned. 

Dr.  Ballard  rose  and  went  to  the  door.  "  Get  me  a 
glass  of  water,  please,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  Not  a  glass.  I  want  a  whole  pitcher  full  right 
side  of  me,"  said  Jewel. 

"  Yes,  a  pitcher  full  also,  if  you  please,  Mrs.  Forbes. 
Just  let  the  maid  bring  them  up." 

The  doctor  returned  to  the  bedside.  "  Now  we  '11 
soon  forget  that  you  wet  those  little  feet,"  he  said. 

"  That  did  n't  do  me  any  harm,  that  clean  sweet 
brook.  Mrs.  Forbes  did  n't  know  what  was  the  real 
matter." 

"  What  was  it,  then  ?  " 

"  My  own  fault,"  said  Jewel,  speaking  with  feverish 
quickness  and  squeezing  the  doctor's  hand.  "  When  I 
came  here  I  found  that  nobody  loved  one  another  and 
everybody  was  afraid  and  sorry,  and  instead  of  denying 
it  and  helping  them,  I  began  voicing  error  and  calling 
them  names.  I  did  n't  keep  remembering  that  God 
was  here,  and  I  called  it  Castle  Discord  and  called  Mrs. 


DR.  BALLARD  129 

Forbes  the  giantess,  and  aunt  Madge  the  error  fairy, 
and  cousin  Eloise  the  enchanted  maiden,  and  of  course 
how  could  I  help  getting  sick?  " 

Dr.  Ballard  leaned  toward  her.  Was  this  an  im 
promptu  tale,  or  was  it  a  fact  that  the  child  had  been 
coldly  treated  and  unhappy  ?  "  You  have  a  sensitive 
conscience,  Jewel,"  he  returned. 

Here  Sarah  entered,  set  down  the  tray  with  pitcher, 
glasses,  and  spoon,  and  departed.  The  doctor  loosed 
the  little  hand  he  had  been  holding,  took  up  his  case, 
and  opened  it. 

Jewel  watched  him  with  apprehension.  "  That 's  — 
medicine  is  n't  it  ?  "  she  asked  with  bated  breath. 

"Yes."  The  doctor  carefully  selected  a  bottle  of 
liquid  and  set  it  on  the  table.  "  I  think  this  one  will 
do  us." 

Jewel's  remark  on  the  train  about  materia  medica 
recurred  to  him,  and  he  smiled. 

"  Dr.  Ballard,  are  n't  you  a  Christian  ?  "  she  asked 
suddenly. 

He  glanced  up.     "  I  hope  so." 

"  Then  you  '11  forgive  me  if  I  won't  take  medicine. 
I  put  out  my  tongue,  and  I  sucked  the  little  glass  thing 
because  I  did  n't  want  to  trouble  you ;  but  I  have 
too  much  faith  in  God  to  take  medicine."  The  child 
looked  at  the  doctor  appealingly. 

He  began  to  see  light,  and  in  his  surprise,  for  a 
moment  he  did  not  reply. 

"  Jesus  Christ  would  have  used  drugs  if  they  had 
been  right,"  she  added. 

"  But  He  is  n't  here  now,"  returned  the  astonished 
young  man. 


130  JEWEL 

"  Why,  Dr.  Ballard,"  in  gentle  reproach,  "  Christ  Ls 
the  Truth  of  God.  Is  n't  He  here  now,  healing  us  and 
helping  us  just  the  same  as  ever  ?  Did  n't  He  say  He 
would  be  ?  You  will  see  how  much  better  I  shall  be 
to-night." 

Dr.  Ballard  met  the  heavy  eyes  with  his  own  kind, 
clear  ones.  "  I  see  you  have  been  taught  in  new  ways, 
Jewel,"  he  said  seriously,  "  but  you  are  only  a  little 
girl,  and  while  you  are  in  your  grandfather's  house  you 
ought  to  do  as  he  wishes.  He  wishes  you  to  let  me 
prescribe  for  you.  No  one  who  is  ill  can  help  making 
trouble.  You  have  no  right  not  to  try  to  get  well  in 
the  way  Mr.  Evringhain  and  Mi's.  Forbes  wish  you  to." 

Jewel  felt  herself  in  a  desperate  position.  The  cor 
ners  of  her  lips  twitched  down.  Dr.  Ballard  thought 
he  saw  his  advantage,  and  leaned  his  fine  head  toward 
her.  She  impulsively  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck. 

"You  don't  want  to  hurt  my  feelings,  Jewel,"  he 
said.  She  was  crying  softly. 

"  No  —  it  would  make  me  —  very  —  soriy,  but  it 
would  be  —  worse  —  to  hurt  —  God's.  Please  don't 
make  me,  please,  please  don't  make  me,  Dr.  Ballard !  " 

She  was  increasingly  excited,  and  he  feared  the 
effect. 

"  Very  well  then,  Jewel,"  he  returned.  "  I  don't 
want  to  do  you  more  harm  than  good." 

"  Oh,  thank  you !  "  she  exclaimed  fervently,  through 
her  tears. 

"  But  Mrs.  Forbes  must  think  you  have  the  medi 
cine.  You  have  n't  told  her  that  you  are  —  ahem  —  a 
Christian  Scientist.  I  suppose  that  is  what  you  call 
yourself." 


DR.  BALLARD  131 

"  Yes,  sir.  A  Christian  Scientist.  Oh,  you  're  the 
kindest  man,"  pursued  the  relieved  child.  "  I  realized 
in  my  prayer  that  you  did  n't  know  it  was  wrong  to 
believe  in  materia  medica,  for  you  reflect  love  all  the 
time." 

While  she  was  talking  and  wiping  her  eyes  the 
doctor  took  the  pitcher  and  one  of  the  glasses  to  the 
window,  and  stood  with  his  back  to  her. 

"  Now  then,"  he  said,  returning,  "  we  '11  put  this 
half  glass  of  water  on  the  table.  I  put  the  spoon 
across  it  so,  and  when  Mrs.  Forbes  is  next  in  the  room 
you  take  a  couple  of  spoonfuls  and  that  will  satisfy 
her.  You  may  tell  her  that  I  wanted  you  only  to  take 
it  about  four  times  during  the  day.  If  you  are  better 
when  I  come  back  this  evening,  I  will  not  insist  upon 
your  taking  any  pellets  on  your  tongue.  Here  is  the 
other  glass  for  you  to  drink  from." 

With  a  few  more  kind  words  Dr.  Ballard  took  his 
departure,  and  going  downstairs  met  Mrs.  Forbes. 
"  The  little  girl  has  a  heavy  feverish  cold.  I  hope  it  is 
nothing  worse ;  but  I  can't  tell  yet.  She  understands 
how  to  take  her  medicine.  She  will  probably  sleep  a 
good  deal.  Let  her  be  quiet." 

He  went  on  to  the  study,  where  Mr.  Evringham  was 
waiting,  sitting  at  the  desk,  his  head  on  his  hand,  frown 
ing  at  the  yellow  chicken.  He  looked  up  expectantly 
as  the  doctor  entered. 

"  Well  ?  "  he  asked. 

Dr.  Ballard  came  forward  and  seated  himself  in  a 
neighboring  chair. 

"  Do  you  know  what  you  have  upstairs  there  ?  "  he 
asked  in  a  low  tone. 


132  JEWEL 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  Guy,  don't  tell  me  it 's  some 
thing  serious  —  something  infectious!"  Mr.  Evring- 
ham  turned  pale. 

The  doctor's  sudden  smile  was  reassuring.  "  It  does 
seem  to  be  infectious  to  some  degree,"  he  returned, 
"  but  I  don't  believe  you  '11  catch  it." 

"  What  are  you  grinning  at,  boy  ?  "  asked  the  broker 
sharply. 

"Don't  be  alarmed,  Mr.  Evringham,  but  the  fact 
is,  that  you  have  in  your  house  a  small  and  young 
but  perfectly  formed  and  well-developed  specimen  of  a 
Christian  Scientist." 

"  What,  man !  "     The  broker  grew  red  again. 

Dr.  Ballard  nodded  deliberately.  "  Your  little  grand 
daughter  belongs  to  the  new  cult ;  and  I  can  assure 
you  she  is  dyed  in  the  wool,  and  moreover  is  all  wool 
and  a  yard  wide." 

"  The  devil  you  say !  "  ejaculated  Mr.  Evringham. 
"  But,"  he  added  with  a  sudden  thought,  "  that  may 
be  a  part  of  the  poor  child's  feverish  nonsense.  She 
was  full  of  talk  of  castles  and  giantesses  and  fairies  and 
what  not  when  I  was  up  there." 

"Yes.  She  is  no  flightier  than  you  are  this  minute. 
All  these  titles  are  those  she  has  given  to  your  house 
and  household  in  the  last  two  days,  and  according  to 
her  diagnosis,  it  is  that  indulgence  from  which  she  is 
suffering  now,  and  not  from  too  much  brook.  She  says 
she  has  '  voiced  error.'  " 

The  doctor  looked  quizzically  at  his  friend,  who  re 
turned  his  gaze,  nonplused. 

"  That 's  it  —  '  error,'  "  rejoined  Mr.  Evringham, 
"  that 's  what  she  is  often  saying.  This  explains  her 


"OH,  YOU'RE  THE  KINDEST  MAN" 


DR.  BALLARD  133 

vocabulary,  in  all  probability.  She  has  sometimes  the 
strangest  talk  you  ever  listened  to.  Well,  that 's  the 
mother's  doing,  of  course,  and  not  the  child's  fault. 
I  maintain  it  is  not  the  child's  fault.  With  it  all, 
Ballard,  I  tell  you  she  's  a  very  well  meaning  child  — 
a  rather  winning  child,  in  fact.  Good  natural  dispo 
sition.  I  hope  she  's  not  very  ill.  I  do,  indeed.  Ha ! 
That,  then,  is  why  she  was  so  excited  at  the  thought  of 
having  a  doctor.  Tomfoolery !  " 

"  Yes,  that  was  it.  We  've  had  some  argument." 
The  young  doctor  smiled.  "  She  does  n't  consider  me 
hopeless,  however.  She  told  me  that  she  had  mentioned 
to  the  Lord  that  she  was  sure  I  did  n't  know  it  was 
wrong  to  believe  in  materia  medica." 

No  one  for  years  had  heard  Mr.  Evringham  laugh 
as  he  laughed  at  this.  The  doctor  joined  him. 

"  I  'm  not  surprised,"  said  the  broker  at  last.  "  If 
there  is  anything  she  does  not  mention  to  her  Creator, 
I  have  yet  to  learn  what  it  is.  How  did  you  get  around 
her,  BaUard  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  used  a  little  justifiable  hocus-pocus  about  the 
medicine.  That 's  all." 

"  And  you  think  it 's  not  anything  very  serious, 
then  ?  " 

"  I  think  not.  Where  there  's  so  much  temperature 
it  's  a  little  hard  to  tell  at  first  with  a  child.  This 
evening  I  shall  make  a  more  thorough  examination. 
The  ice  is  broken  now,  and  it  will  be  easier.  She  will 
be  less  excited.  I  see,"  glancing  at  the  yellow  chicken, 
whose  beady  eyes  appeared  to  be  following  the  conver 
sation,  "  the  little  girl  has  found  her  way  even  into  this 
sanctum." 


134  JEWEL 

Mr.  Evringham  cleared  his  throat  as  he  followed  the 
doctor's  glance.  "  No,"  he  responded  shortly.  "  She 
has  not  found  her  way  in  here  yet.  That  is  —  my 
chicken.  She  bought  it  for  me.'' 

Dr.  Ballard  lifted  his  eyebrows  and  smiled  as  he 
arose. 

"  Come  back  before  dinner  if  possible,  Ballard.  I 
shall  be  uneasy." 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   TELEGRAM 

MRS.  FORBES  entered  Jewel's  room  after  speaking  with 
the  doctor.  The  little  girl  looked  at  her  eagerly.  A 
plan  had  formed  in  her  mind  which  depended  for  its 
success  largely  on  the  housekeeper's  complaisance,  and 
she  wished  to  propitiate  her. 

"  I  want  to  fix  it  so  you  can  call  me  when  you  need 
anything,  Julia,"  she  said.  "  The  doctor  has  told  you 
about  taking  the  medicine,  and  here  is  a  little  clock  I  'm 
going  to  put  on  your  table  right  by  the  bed,  and  I  've 
brought  up  a  bell.  I  shall  leave  the  farther  door  open 
so  the  sound  of  this  bell  will  go  right  down  the  back 
stairs,  and  one  of  us  will  come  up  whenever  you  ring. 
Dr.  Ballard  says  it 's  best  for  you  to  be  quiet." 

"  Yes'm,"  replied  Jewel.  "  Do  you  think,  Mrs. 
Forbes  —  would  it  be  too  much  trouble  —  would  he 
have  time  —  could  I  see  Jeremiah  just  a  few  minutes  ?  " 

"  See  who  ?  " 

"  Jeremiah  —  the  gentleman  who  lives  with  the 
horses." 

"  Do  you  mean  my  son  Ezekiel  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes'm.  Ezekiel.  I  knew  it  was  a  prophet. 
He  always  speaks  very  kindly  to  me,  and  I  like  him. 
I  wish  I  could  see  him  just  a  few  minutes." 

Mrs.  Forbes  was  very  much  astonished  and    some- 


136  JEWEL 

what  flattered.  "  It 's  wonderful,  the  fancy  that  child 
has  taken  to  me  and  mine,"  she  thought. 

"  Well,  folks  must  be  humored  when  they  're  sick," 
she  replied.  "  Let  me  see,"  looking  at  the  little  clock, 
"  yes,  Mr.  Evringham  's  missed  the  second  train. 
There  '11  be  five  or  ten  minutes  yet,  and  'Zekiel  's  got 
to  wait  anyway.  1  guess  he  can  come  up  and  see  you." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  Mrs.  Forbes !  "  returned  Jewel. 

The  housekeeper  made  her  way  out  to  the  barn,  where 
her  son  in  his  livery  was  waiting  and  reading  the 
paper. 

"  The  doctor 's  gone,  Zeke,  and  the  child  wants  to 
see  you." 

"  Me  ?  "  returned  the  coachman  in  surprise.  "  Why 
the  bully  little  kid  !  " 

"  Yes,  come  and  be  quick.  There  won't  be  much 
time.  You  watch  the  clock  that 's  side  of  her  bed,  and 
don't  you  be  late." 

'Zekiel  followed  with  alacrity.  His  mother,  starting 
him  up  the  backstairs,  gave  him  directions  how  to  go, 
and  remained  below. 

Jewel,  her  eyes  fixed  on  the  open  back  door  of  her 
room,  felt  a  leap  of  the  heart  as  Zeke,  fine  in  his  hand 
some  livery,  came  blushing  and  tiptoeing  into  the  room. 

"  I  'm  so  glad,  I  'm  so  glad !  "  she  exclaimed  in  her 
soft,  thick  voice.  "  Shut  the  door,  please." 

"  I  told  you  to  remember  you  'd  only  got  to  say '  Zeke,' 
and  I  'd  come,"  he  said,  approaching  the  bed.  "  I  'm 
awful  sorry  you  're  sick,  little  kid." 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  Christian  Science,  Zeke?" 
she  asked  hurriedly. 

"  Yes,  I  did.     Woman  I  knew  in  Boston  cured  of 


THE   TELEGRAM  137 

half  a  dozen  things.  She  held  that  Christian  Science 
did  it." 

"  Oh,  good,  good.  I  'm  a  Christian  Scientist,  and 
nobody  here  is,  and  I  want  to  send  a  telegram  to  Chi 
cago,  to  a  lady  to  treat  me.  Nobody  would  do  it  for 
me  but  you.  Will  you  ?  " 

It  would  have  taken  a  hard  heart  to  resist  the  ap 
peal,  and  Zeke's  was  soft. 

"  Of  course  I  will,"  he  answered.  "  Going  right  to 
the  station  now  to  take  Mr.  Evringham.  I  can  send  it 
as  well  as  not." 

"  Get  some  paper,  Zeke,  in  the  top  bureau  drawer. 
There  's  a  pencil  on  the  bureau." 

He  obeyed,  and  she  gave  him  an  address  which  he 
wrote  down.  "  Now  this  :  '  Please  treat  me  for  fever 
and  sore  throat.  Jewel.'  " 

Zeke  wrote  the  message  and  tucked  it  into  a  pocket. 

"  Now  please  get  my  leather  bag  in  the  drawer," 
said  the  child,  "  and  take  out  money  enough." 

The  young  fellow  hesitated.  "  If  you  have  n't  got 
plenty  of  money  "  —  he  began. 

"  I  have.  You  '11  see.  Oh,  Zeke,  you  've  made  me 
so  happy  !  " 

The  coachman's  clumsy  hands  fumbled  with  the  clasp 
of  the  little  bag. 

"  I  can  do  it,"  said  Jewel,  and  he  brought  it  to  her 
and  watched  her  while  she  took  out  the  money  and  gave 
it  to  him.  He  took  a  coin,  returned  the  rest  to  the 
bag,  and  snapped  it. 

"  Say,  little  girl,"  he  said  uneasily,  "  you  look  to  me 
like  a  doctor  'd  do  you  a  whole  lot  o'  good." 

Jewel  gazed  at  him  in  patient  wonder. 


138  JEWEL 

"  Who  made  the  doctor  ?  "  she  asked. 

Zeke  stood  on  one  foot  and  then  on  the  other. 

"  God  did,  and  you  know  it,  Zeke.  He 's  the  one  to 
go  to  in  trouble." 

"  But  you  're  going  to  that  Chicago  woman,"  objected 
Zeke. 

"  Yes,  because  she  '11  go  to  God  for  me.  I  'm  being 
held  down  by  something  that  pretends  to  have  power, 
and  though  I  know  it 's  an  old  cheat,  I  have  n't  under 
standing  enough  to  get  rid  of  it  as  quickly  as  she  will. 
You  see,  I  would  n't  have  been  taken  sick  if  I  had  n't 
believed  in  a  lie  instead  of  denying  it.  We  have  to 
watch  our  thoughts  every  minute,  and  I  tell  you,  Zeke, 
sometimes  it  seems  real  hard  work." 

"  Should  say  so,"  returned  'Zekiel.  "  The  less  you 
think  the  better,  I  should  suppose,  if  that 's  the  case. 
I  've  got  to  be  going  now." 

"  And  you  '11  send  the  telegram  surely,  and  you 
won't  speak  of  it  to  any  one  ?  " 

"  Mum 's  the  word,  and  I  '11  send  it  if  it 's  the  last 
act ;  but  don't  put  all  your  eggs  in  one  basket,  little 
kid.  I  know  Dr.  Ballard  's  been  here,  and  now  you  do 
everything  he  said,  like  a  good  girl,  and  between  the 
two  of  'em  they  ought  to  fix  you  up.  I  'd  pin  more 
faith  to  a  doctor  in  the  hand  than  to  one  in  the  bush  a 
thousand  miles  away,  if  't  was  me.'" 

Jewel  smiled  on  him  from  heavy  eyes.  "  Did  you 
ever  hear  of  God's  needing  any  help  ? "  she  asked. 
"  I  '11  never  forget  your  being  so  kind  to  me,  never, 
Zeke ;  and  when  error  melts  away  I  'm  coming  out  to 
the  stable  with  grandpa.  He  said  I  should.  Good- 

by." 


THE  TELEGRAM  139 

As  soon  as  the  plum-colored  livery  had  disappeared 
Jewel  drew  herself  up,  took  the  water  pitcher  between 
her  hot  little  hands,  and  drank  long  and  deeply.  Then 
with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction  she  turned  over  in  bed  and 
drew  Anna  Belle  close  to  her. 

"  Just  see,  dearie,"  she  murmured,  "  how  we  are 
always  taken  care  of !  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  saw  Dr.  Ballard's  buggy  drive  away 
and  lost  no  time  in  discovering  who  had  needed  his 
services. 

"  It 's  the  child,"  she  announced,  returning  to  Eloise's 
room. 

"  Poor  little  thing,"  returned  the  girl,  rising. 

"  Where  are  you  going?  Stay  right  where  you  are. 
She  has  a  high  fever,  and  they  're  not  sure  yet  what 
it  may  be.  Mrs.  Forbes  is  doing  everything  that  is 
necessary.  Father  has  waited  over  two  trains.  He 
has  n't  gone  to  the  city  yet." 

At  the  mention  of  Mr.  Evringham  Eloise  sank  back 
in  her  chair. 

"  Dr.  Ballard  is  coming  again  toward  evening,"  con 
tinued  Mrs.  Evringham,  "  and  I  shall  talk  with  him 
and  find  out  just  the  conditions.  Mrs.  Forbes  is  very 
unsatisfactory,  but  I  can  see  that  she  thinks  it  may  be 
something  infectious." 

Eloise  lifted  a  suddenly  hopeful  face.  "  Then  you 
would  wish  to  leave  at  once  ?  "  she  said. 

"Not  at  all.  Father  would  surely  hear  to  reason 
and  send  the  child  to  the  hospital.  They  are  models  of 
comfort  in  these  days,  and  it  is  the  only  proper  place  for 
people  to  be  ill.  I  shall  speak  to  Dr.  Ballard  about  it 
to-night." 


140  JEWEL 

As  soon  as  Eloise  had  seen  her  grandfather  drive  to 
the  station  she  eluded  her  mother,  and  gathering  her 
white  negligee  about  her,  went  softly  up  to  Jewel's  room 
and  stood  at  the  closed  door.  All  was  still.  She 
opened  the  door  stealthily.  With  all  her  care  it  creaked 
a  little.  Still  no  sound  from  within.  She  looked  toward 
the  bed,  saw  the  flushed  face  of  the  child  and  that  she 
was  asleep,  so  she  withdrew  as  quietly. 

During  the  day  she  inquired  of  Mrs.  Forbes  if  she 
could  be  of  any  service,  but  the  housekeeper  received 
the  suggestion  with  curt  respect,  assuring  her  that  Dr. 
Ballard  had  said  Jewel  would  sleep  a  good  deal,  and 
should  not  be  disturbed. 

Mrs.  Evringham  overheard  the  question  and  wel 
comed  the  reply  with  relief. 

Jewel  ate  the  bread  and  fruit  and  milk  that  Mrs. 
Forbes  gave  her  for  her  late  lunch,  and  said  that  she 
felt  better. 

"  You  look  so,"  returned  the  housekeeper.  The 
child  had  not  once  called  her  upstairs  during  the 
morning.  She  certainly  was  as  little  trouble  as  a  sick 
child  could  be. 

"  If  't  was  anybody  else,"  mused  Mrs.  Forbes,  regard 
ing  her,  "  I  should  say  that  she  sensed  the  situation  and 
knew  she  'd  brought  it  on  herself  and  me,  and  was  try 
ing  to  make  up  for  it ;  but  nobody  can  tell  what  she 
thinks.  Her  eyes  do  look  more  natural.  I  guess  Dr. 
Ballard  's  a  good  one." 

"It  don't  seem  to  hurt  you  to  swallow  now,"  re- 
marked  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  No'm,  it  does  n't,"  she  answered. 

"  Now  then,  you  see  how  foolish  and  naughty  it  was, 


THE   TELEGRAM  141 

the  way  you  behaved  about  having  the  doctor  this  morn 
ing.  Look  how  much  better  you  are  already  !  " 

"  Yes'm,  I  love  Dr.  Ballard." 

"  You  well  may.  He  's  done  well  by  you."  Mrs. 
Forbes  took  the  tray.  "  Now  do  you  feel  like  going 
to  sleep  again  ?  The  doctor  won't  come  till  about 
six  o'clock.  Your  fever  '11  rise  toward  evening,  and 
that 's  the  time  he  wants  to  see  you.  I  shall  sleep  in 
the  spare  room  next  you  to-night." 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Forbes.  You  are  so  kind ;  but 
you  won't  have  to,"  replied  the  child  earnestly.  "  Would 
you  please  draw  up  the  curtains  and  put  Anna  Belle's 
clothes  on  the  bed?  Perhaps  I'll  dress  her  after  a 
while.  It  does  n't  seem  fair  to  make  her  stay  in  bed 
when  it  was  n't  her  error." 

"  I  don't  think  you  'd  better  keep  your  arms  out," 
returned  Mrs.  Forbes  decidedly.  "  I  '11  put  up  the  cur 
tain,  but  when  you  come  to  try  to  do  anything  you  '11 
find  you  are  very  weak.  You  can  ring  the  bell  when 
you  want  to,  you  know.  And  don't  take  your  medi 
cine  again  for  an  hour  after  eating.  I  'd  take  another 
nap  right  away  if  I  was  you." 

When  she  had  gone  out,  Jewel  shook  her  head  at 
the  doll,  whose  face  was  smiling  toward  her  own.  "  You 
denied  it,  did  n't  you,  dearie,  the  minute  she  said  it," 
she  whispered.  "  Error  is  using  Mrs.  Forbes  to  hold 
me  under  mortal  mind  laws,  but  it  can't  be  so,  because 
God  does  n't  want  it,  and  I  'm  not  afraid  any  more." 

Jewel  put  her  hand  under  her  pillow  and  drew  out 
the  two  slips  of  paper  that  bore  her  mother's  messages. 
These  she  read  through  several  times.  "  Of  course 
there  are  more,  Anna  Belle.  I  should  n't  wonder  if 


142  JEWEL 

there  was  one  in  every  pocket,  but  I  don't  mean  to 
hunt.  Divine  love  will  send  them  to  me  just  when  I 
need  them,  the  way  He  did  these.  I  'm  sorry  I  can't 
dress  you,  dearie,  because  you  've  just  reflected  love  all 
the  time,  and  ought  not  to  be  in  bed  at  all ;  but  I  must 
obey,  you  know,  so  there  won't  be  discord.  I  'd  love 
to  just  hop  up  and  get  your  clothes,  but  you  '11  forgive 
me  for  not,  I  know." 

Again  Jewel  put  her  hand  under  her  pillow  and  drew 
forth  her  copy  of  "  Science  and  Health."  "  I  '11  read  to 
you  a  little,  dearie."  She  opened  the  book  to  page 
393  and  read,  "  Rise  in  the  strength  of  Spirit  to  resist 
all  that  is  unlike  God."  Jewel  paused  and  thought  for 
a  minute.  "  You  might  think,  Anna  Belle,  that  that 
meant  rise  against  Mrs.  Forbes,  but  it  does  n't.  It 
means  rise  against  all  error,  and  one  error  is  believing 
that  Mrs.  Forbes  is  cross  or  afraid."  She  went  on 
reading  for  several  minutes,  passing  glibly  over  familiar 
phrases  and  sticking  at  or  skipping  words  which  pre 
sented  difficulties. 

While  she  was  thus  employed  Eloise  again  stole 
quietly  to  her  cousin's  door,  and  hearing  the  soft  voice 
she  grew  pale.  Her  mother  had  exacted  a  promise 
from  her  that  she  would  not  enter  the  room  until  Dr. 
Ballard  consented,  so  after  a  minute's  hesitation  she 
fled  downstairs  and  found  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  I  think  the  little  girl  must  be  worse !  She  is 
talking  to  herself  incessantly." 

Mrs.  Forbes  regarded  the  pale  face  coldly.  "  I 
guess  there 's  some  mistake.  She  was  better  when 
I  saw  her  half  an  hour  ago.  I  '11  go  up  in  a  minute." 

The  minute  stretched  to  five  ;  Jewel  had  slept  scarcely 


THE   TELEGRAM  143 

at  all  the  night  before,  and  by  the  time  the  housekeeper 
had  laboriously  reached  her  door,  her  voice  had  grown 
fainter,  then  stopped,  and  she  was  sound  asleep. 

"  I  wish  Mamzell  would  keep  her  finger  out  of  this 
pie,"  soliloquized  Mrs.  Forbes  as  she  retraced  her 
steps. 

When  Mr.  Evringham  returned  from  the  city,  his 
first  question,  as  Zeke  met  him,  was  concerning  Jewel. 

"  Mother  says  she  's  slept  the  most  of  the  day,"  re 
plied  the  coachman,  his  head  stiff  in  his  high  collar  and 
his  eyes  looking  straight  ahead. 

"  H'm.    A  good  sign  does  she  think,  or  is  it  stupor  ?  " 

"  I  could  n't  say,  sir." 

Reaching  the  house,  a  long  pasteboard  box  in  his 
hands,  Mr.  Evringham  found  that  his  grandchild  was 
still  asleep. 

"  I  fear  the  worst,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  he  said  with  ner 
vous  curtness.  "  When  a  stupor  attacks  children  it  is 
a  very  bad  sign  I  am  told.  I  '11  just  ring  up  Ballard." 

He  did  so,  but  the  doctor  had  gone  out  and  was 
intending  to  call  at  the  park  before  he  returned. 

"  I  really  think  it  is  all  right,  Mr.  Evringham,"  said 
Mrs.  Forbes,  distressed  by  her  employer's  uneasiness. 
"  Dr.  Ballard  expected  she  'd  sleep  a  great  deal.  He 
told  me  not  to  disturb  her." 

"  Oh,  very  well  then,  perhaps  it  is  not  to  be  regretted. 
Kindly  put  those  roses  in  the  deep  vase,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  Yes,  sir."  She  took  up  the  box.  "  Besides,  Mr. 
Evringham,  if  she  does  get  worse,  you  know  the  hospital 
here  is  one  of  the  very  best,  and  you  " 

Mr.  Evringham  wheeled  and  frowned  upon  the 
speaker  fiercely.  "  Hospital !  "  he  ejaculated.  "  An 


144  JEWEL 

extraordinary  suggestion,  Mrs.  Forbes  !  Most  extraor 
dinary  !  My  granddaughter  remains  in  my  house." 

Mrs.  Forbes,  crimson  with  surprise  and  mortification, 
retreated.  "  Very  well,  sir,"  she  faltered.  "  Will  you 
have  the  roses  on  the  dinner  table,  Mr.  Evringham  ?  " 

"  No.  Set  them  here  on  my  desk  if  you  please." 
With  this  Mr.  Evringham  began  walking  up  and  down 
the  floor,  pausing  once  to  take  up  the  yellow  chicken. 
During  the  day  the  soft  moan,  "  I  wanted  you  so  all 
night,  grandpa,"  had  been  ringing  in  his  ears. 

"  Mrs.  Forbes  has  no  understanding  of  the  child," 
he  muttered,  "  and  of  course  I  cannot  expect  anything 
from  the  cat  and  her  kitten." 

With  this  he  began  again  his  promenade.  Mrs. 
Forbes  returned  with  the  roses,  and  simultaneously  Mr. 
Evringham  saw  Essex  Maid  arching  her  neck  as  she 
picked  her  steps  past  the  window. 

"  By  the  way,"  he  said  curtly,  "  let  Zeke  take  the 
Maid  back  to  the  barn.  I  '11  not  ride  to-day." 

"  It 's  very  fine  weather,  sir,"  protested  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  I  '11  not  ride.     I  '11  wait  here  for  Dr.  Ballard." 

The  housekeeper  went  forth  to  give  the  order. 

"  I  never  saw  Mr.  Evringham  so  upset  in  my  life," 
she  said  in  an  awestruck  tone. 

"  I  saw  the  governor  was  n't  real  comfortable,"  re 
turned  the  boy.  "  Guess  he 's  afraid  he  's  goin'  to 
catch  the  mumps  or  something.  It  would  be  real  har- 
rowin'  if  he  got  any  worse  case  of  big  head  than  he  's 
got  already." 

Mr.  Evringham  was  little  accustomed  to  waiting, 
and  by  the  time  Dr.  Ballard  appeared,  his  nervousness 
had  become  painful.  "  The  child  's  slept  too  much, 


THE   TELEGRAM  145 

I'm  sure  of  it,  Ballard,"  was  his  greeting.  "I  don't 
know  what  we  're  going  to  find  up  there,  I  declare  I 
don't." 

"  It  depends  on  whether  it 's  a  good  sleep,"  returned 
the  doctor,  and  his  composed  face  and  manner  acted  at 
once  beneficially  upon  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  Well,  you  '11  know,  Guy,  you  '11  know,  my  boy. 
Mrs.  Forbes  saw  you  coming,  and  she  has  gone  up 
stairs  to  prepare  the  little  girl.  She  '11  be  glad  to  see 
you  this  time,  I  '11  wager." 

The  broker,  roses  in  hand,  ascended  the  staircase 
after  the  physician.  Mrs.  Forbes  was  standing  at  the 
foot  of  the  bed,  and  the  room  was  pleasantly  light  as 
they  entered.  Jewel,  the  flush  of  sleep  on  her  cheeks, 
was  looking  expectantly  toward  the  door.  Dr.  Ballard 
came  in  first  and  she  smiled  in  welcome,  then  Mr. 
Evringham  appeared,  heavy  roses  nodding  in  all  direc 
tions  before  him. 

"  Grandpa  !  "  exclaimed  the  child.  "  Why,  grandpa, 
did  you  come  ?  " 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  joy  in  her  tone.  Dr. 
Ballard  paused  in  surprise,  while  the  stockbroker  ap 
proached  the  bed. 

"  I  brought  you  a  few  flowers,  Jewel,"  he  said,  while 
she  pressed  his  disengaged  hand  against  her  cheek. 

"  They  're  the  most  lovely  ones  I  ever  saw,"  she  re 
turned  with  conviction.  "  They  make  me  happy  just 
to  look  at  them." 

"  Well,  Jewel,"  said  the  doctor,  "  I  hear  you  've  been 
making  up  for  lost  sleep  in  great  shape."  His  eyes, 
as  he  spoke,  were  taking  in  with  concentrated  interest 
the  signs  in  her  face.  He  came  and  sat  beside  the 


146  JEWEL 

bed,  while  Mr.  Evringham  fell  back  and  Mrs.  Forbes 
regarded  the  child  critically. 

"  Well,  now,  you  're  a  good  little  patient,"  went  on 
the  doctor,  as  he  noted  the  clear  eyes. 

"  Yes,  Dr.  Ballard,  I  feel  just  as  nice  as  can  be,"  she 
answered. 

"  No  thickness  in  the  voice.  I  fancy  that  sore 
throat  is  better."  The  young  doctor  could  not  repress 
his  smile  of  satisfaction.  "  I  was  certain  that  was  the 
right  attenuation,"  he  thought.  "  Now  let  us  see." 

He  took  out  the  little  thermometer,  and  Jewel  sub 
mitted  to  having  it  slipped  beneath  her  tongue. 

As  Dr.  Ballard  leaned  back  in  his  chair  to  wait,  he 
looked  up  at  Mr.  Evringham.  "  It  is  very  gratifying," 
he  said,  "  to  find  these  conditions  at  this  hour  of  the 
day.  I  felt  a  little  more  uneasy  this  morning  than  I 
confessed."  He  nodded  in  satisfactory  thought.  "  I 
grant  you  medicine  is  not  an  exact  science,  it  is  an  art, 
an  art.  You  can't  prescribe  by  hard  and  fast  rules. 
You  must  take  into  consideration  the  personal  equa 
tion." 

Presently  he  leaned  forward  and  removed  the  ther 
mometer.  His  eyes  smiled  as  he  read  it,  and  he  lifted 
it  toward  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  I  can't  see  it,  boy." 

"  Well,  there  's  nothing  to  see.  She  has  n't  a  par 
ticle  of  temperature.  Look  here,  little  one,"  frowning 
at  Jewel,  "  if  everybody  recovered  as  quickly  as  you 
have,  where  would  we  doctors  be  ?  " 

Turning  again  and  addressing  Mr.  Evringham,  he 
went  on,  "I  'm  particularly  interested  in  this  result  be 
cause  that  is  a  remedy  over  which  there  has  been  some 


THE  TELEGRAM  147 

altercation.  There  's  one  man  to  whom  I  shall  be  glad 
to  relate  this  experience."  The  doctor  leaned  toward 
his  little  patient.  "  Jewel,  I  'm  not  so  surprised  as  I 
might  be  at  your  improvement,"  he  said  kindly.  "  You 
will  have  to  excuse  me  for  a  little  righteous  deception. 
I  put  medicine  into  that  glass  of  water,  and  now  you  're 
glad  I  did,  are  n't  you  ?  I  'd  like  you  to  tell  me,  little 
girl,  as  near  as  you  can,  how  often  you  took  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  n't  take  it,"  replied  the  child. 

Dr.  Ballard  drew  back  a  little.  "  You  mean,"  he 
said  after  a  moment,  "  you  took  it  only  once  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  did  n't  take  it  at  all." 

There  was  a  silence,  during  which  all  could  hear  the 
ticking  of  the  clock  on  the  table,  and  the  three  pairs  of 
eyes  were  fixed  on  Jewel  with  such  varying  expressions 
of  amazement  and  disapproval  that  the  child's  breath 
began  to  come  faster. 

"  Did  n't  you  drink  any  of  the  water  ?  "  asked  Dr. 
Ballard  at  last. 

"  Yes,  out  of  the  pitcher." 

"  Why  not  out  of  the  glass  ?  " 

"  It  did  n't  look  enough.     I  was  so  thirsty." 

They  could  not  doubt  her. 

Mr.  Evringham  finally  found  voice. 

"  Jewel,  why  did  n't  you  obey  the  doctor  ?  "  His 
eyes  and  voice  were  so  serious  that  she  stretched  out 
her  arm. 

"  Oh,  grandpa,"  she  said,  "  please  let  me  take  hold 
of  your  hand." 

"  No,  not  till  you  answer  me.  Little  girls  should  be 
obedient." 

Jewel  thought  a  minute. 


148  JEWEL 

"  He  said  it  was  n't  medicine,  so  what  was  the  use  ?  " 
she  asked. 

Mr.  Evringham,  seeming  to  find  an  answer  to  this 
difficult,  bit  the  end  of  his  mustache. 

Dr.  Ballard  was  feeling  his  very  ears  grow  red, 
while  Mrs.  Forbes' s  lips  were  set  in  a  line  of  exaspera 
tion. 

"  Grandpa,"  said  Jewel,  and  the  child's  voice  was 
very  earnest,  "there  's  a  Bible  over  there  on  the  table. 
You  look  in  there  in  the  Gospels,  and  you  '11  find  every 
where  how  Jesus  tells  us  to  do  what  I  've  done.  He 
said  he  must  go  away,  but  he  would  send  the  Com 
forter  to  us,  and  this  book  tells  about  the  Comforter." 
Jewel  took  the  copy  of  "  Science  and  Health  "  from 
under  the  sheet. 

"  God's  creation  could  n't  get  sick.  It 's  just  His 
own  image  and  likeness,  so  how  could  it  ?  And  when 
you  can  get  right  into  God's  love,  what  do  you  want 
of  medicine  to  swallow  ?  God  would  n't  be  omnipo 
tent  if  He  needed  any  help.  You  see  I  'm  well.  Is  n't 
that  all  you  want,  grandpa  ?  " 

The  appeal  of  her  eyes  caused  the  broker  to  stir 
undecidedly.  "  I  never  did  have  any  use  for  doctors," 
he  thought,  after  the  manner  of  many  who,  nevertheless, 
are  eager  to  fly  to  the  brotherhood  for  help  at  the  first 
suggestion  of  pain.  Moreover,  the  humor  of  the  situa 
tion  was  beginning  to  dawn  upon  him,  and  he  admired 
the  fine  temper  and  self-control  with  which  the  young 
physician  pulled  himself  together  and  rose. 

"  /  am  glad  you  are  well,  Jewel,  very,"  he  said ; 
"  but  the  next  time  I  am  called  to  prescribe  for  a  lit 
tle  Christian  Scientist  I  shall  put  the  pellets  on  her 


THE  TELEGRAM  149 

tongue."  He  smiled  as  he  took  up  his  case  and  said 
good-by. 

Mr.  Evringham  followed  him  down  the  stairs,  heroic 
ally  resisting  the  impulse  to  laugh.  Only  one  remark 
he  allowed  himself  as  he  bade  the  doctor  good-by. 

"  You  're  quite  right,  Ballard,  in  your  theory.  Jewel 
has  been  here  only  three  days,  but  I  could  have  told  you 
that  in  doing  anything  whatever  for  her,  it  is  always 
absolutely  necessary  to  consider  the  personal  equation." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

IN    THE    LIBRARY 

As  Mr.  Evringham  turned  from  the  closed  door  he  met 
his  daughter-in-law  coming  out  into  the  hall. 

"  I  've  been  watching  for  Dr.  Ballard,"  she  said  with 
annoyance.  "  I  don't  see  why  I  did  n't  hear  him  come 
down."  At  this  juncture  she  paused,  surprised  to  ob 
serve  that  her  father-in-law  was  laughing.  She  attrib 
uted  this  unusual  ebullition  to  ridicule  of  herself. 

"  I  only  wanted  to  ask  if  Julia's  illness  is  infectious," 
she  went  on  with  dignity.  "  Eloise  and  I  are  naturally 
very  anxious.  We  should  like  to  do  anything  for  her 
we  can,  if  it  is  quite  safe." 

"  Madam,  don't,  I  pray,  for  all  our  sakes,  run  any 
risk,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham,  his  lips  still  twitching 
as  he  bowed  mockingly. 

"  It  would  certainly  be  very  foolish,"  answered  Mrs. 
Evringham  unabashed.  "  You  would  n't  care  to  have 
more  invalids  on  your  hands.  It  has  been  all  I  could 
do  to  keep  Eloise  away  from  the  sick  room  to-day." 

"Is  it  possible  !  "commented  Mr.  Evringham, smooth 
ing  his  mustache. 

"Not  only  possible  but  true,  and  I  wished  to  go  to 
headquarters  and  find  out  the  exact  state  of  the  case." 

Again  the  broker's  shoulders  began  to  shake. 

"  Ballard  is  n't  headquarters,"  he  replied. 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  151 

Mrs.  Evringham  regarded  him,  startled.  She  won 
dered  if  aft'airs  were  perhaps  very  serious,  and  her 
father-in-law's  nerves  overstrained.  She  knew  that  he 
had  dispensed  with  the  afternoon  ride  which  was  so 
important  to  him. 

She  grew  a  shade  paler.  "  I  wish  you  would  tell 
me,  father,  just  what  the  doctor  said,"  she  begged. 

Mr.  Evringham  raised  a  protesting  hand.  "  I  could 
n't  think  of  it,"  he  laughed.  "  It  would  give  me 
apoplexy." 

His  daughter-in-law  began  to  retreat,  and  the  broker 
passed  her  and  went  into  his  study,  still  laughing. 

Mrs.  Evringham  stood  with  lips  parted,  looking  after 
him.  Her  heart  beat  fast.  The  doctor  had  called 
twice.  He  had  come  down  the  stairs  in  dead  silence 
just  now.  She  knew  it,  for  she  had  been  listening 
and  waiting  to  intercept  him.  She  had  meant  to  say 
a  number  of  pretty  things  to  him  concerning  Eloise's 
anxiety  about  her  little  cousin.  Her  own  anxiety  re 
doubled,  and  she  hurried  to  her  daughter's  room  and 
narrated  her  experience. 

"  I  really  think  we  may  have  to  go,  Eloise,"  she 
finished  nervously.  "  Even  if  it  is  n't  infectious,  it  is 
so  dreadfully  dispiriting  to  be  in  a  house  where  there 
is  dangerous  illness,  and  possibly  worse.  I  've  been 
thinking  perhaps  we  might  go  in  town  and  take  lodg 
ings  for  a  while.  No  one  need  know  it.  We  could 
even  stay  there  through  the  summer.  None  of  our 
friends  would  be  in  town  ;  then  in  autumn  we  could 
come  back  here." 

Eloise's  lip  curled.  "  I  doubt  that,"  she  returned. 
"  Grandfather  will  be  forearmed.  I  prophesy,  mother, 


152  JEWEL 

that  you  will  never  get  our  trunks  up  here  again  after 
you  once  take  them  out." 

"  Really,  Eloise,  you  do  put  things  most  repulsively," 
returned  Mrs.  Evringham  with  vexation.  "  Besides, 
how  do  we  know  what  the  future  is  going  to  bring 
forth  ?  Father  behaves  to  me  as  if  he  might  be  on  the 
verge  of  brain  fever  himself." 

"  Poor  little  Jewel !  "  exclaimed  the  girl.  "  I  hope 
she  will  pull  through,  but  if  she  is  the  cause  of  our 
leaving  here,  I  shall  always  love  her  memory." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  father  will  even  come  to  din 
ner,"  said  Mrs.  Evringham,  pursuing  her  own  thoughts, 
"  but  I  suppose  we  shall  see  Mrs.  Forbes.  I  do  hope 
she  has  some  sense  about  using  disinfectants.  It 's  out 
rageous  for  her  to  come  near  the  dining-room  when  she 
is  taking  care  of  that  child.  Of  course  they  '11  have  a 
nurse  at  once.  Forbes  does  n't  like  going  out  of  her 
beaten  track." 

"  I  can't  forget  that  poor  little  voice  rambling  on  so 
monotonously  this  afternoon,"  said  Eloise.  "  I  strained 
my  ears  to  listen,  but  I  could  make  out  only  that  she 
said  something  about  '  love  '  and  then  about '  righteous 
ness.'  What  a  word  for  that  little  mouth." 

"  I  've  seen  smaller,"  remarked  Mrs.  Evringham. 

When  finally  they  entered  the  dining-room  punctually 
at  the  appointed  hour,  —  even  Mrs.  Evringham  dared 
take  no  liberties  with  that,  —  the  host  was  there  and 
greeted  them  as  usual.  Mi's.  Forbes  came  in  and  took 
her  position  near  him.  Her  employer  gave  her  a  side 
glance.  His  fears  for  Jewel  allayed,  his  regard  for  his 
housekeeper's  opinions  had  returned  in  full  force. 

He  wished  to  ask  for  the  little  girl,  to  ask  what  she 


/AT  THE  LIBRARY  153 

was  doing  now,  and  what  she  would  like  sent  up  for 
dinner,  but  he  had  not  the  courage.  The  aghast  counte 
nance  which  Mrs.  Forbes  had  exhibited  at  the  moment 
when  the  enormity  of  Jewel's  conduct  transpired  re 
mained  in  his  memory.  The  housekeeper's  appearance 
at  present  was  noncommittal.  Mrs.  Evringham  sent  her 
piercing  and  questioning  glances  in  vain. 

The  silence  in  the  usually  silent  room  had  not  had 
time  to  become  noticeable  when  the  portiere  was  pushed 
aside  and  Jewel,  arrayed  in  the  dotted  dress  and  care 
fully  bearing  the  tall  vase  of  nodding  roses,  entered  the 
room. 

Mrs.  Evringham  uttered  a  little  cry  and  dropped 
her  spoon.  Eloise  stared  wide-eyed.  The  housekeeper 
flushed. 

"  Good  evening,"  said  the  child,  glancing  about  as 
she  approached,  and  sighing  with  relief  as  she  set  the 
heavy  vase  on  the  edge  of  the  table.  "  I  had  to  come 
down  so  carefully  not  to  spill,  grandpa,  that  it  made 
me  a  little  late.  Mrs.  Forbes  said  you  brought  me  the 
roses  under  false  —  false  pretends,  so  I  thought  perhaps 
you  would  like  them  on  the  table." 

The  housekeeper,  hurrying  forward,  seized  the  vase 
from  its  precarious  position  and  placed  it  in  the  cen 
tre  of  the  board.  "  I  did  n't  tell  you  you  might  come 
downstairs,"  she  said,  as  she  buttoned  the  middle  button 
of  Jewel's  dress. 

The  little  girl  looked  up  in  innocent  surprise.  "  You 
said  I  might  dress  me,  so  why  should  anybody  have  to 
bring  up  my  dinner  ?  "  she  asked. 

Mrs.  Forbes's  countenance  looked  so  lowering  that 
Mr.  Evringham  hastened  to  speak  in  his  brusque  and 


154  JEWEL 

final  fashion.  "  She  is  here  now.  Might  as  well  let 
her  stay." 

Jewel  jumped  into  her  chair  and  turned  toward  him 
with  an  apologetic  smile.  "  I  could  n't  make  my  hair 
look  very  nice,"  she  said,  with  the  lift  of  her  shoulders 
which  he  had  come  to  connect  with  her  confidential 
moments.  Remembering  the  feverish  child  of  the  morn 
ing,  he  looked  at  her  in  silent  wonder.  The  appear 
ance  of  her  flaxen  head  he  could  see  was  in  contrast  to 
the  trim  and  well-cared-for  look  it  had  worn  when  she 
arrived. 

"  Poor  little  thing !  "  he  thought.  "  She  looks 
motherless  —  motherless."  Involuntarily  he  cast  a 
glance  of  impatience  at  his  other  guests.  The  expres 
sion  of  blank  amazement  on  their  faces  stirred  him  to 
amusement. 

"  If  you  are  afraid  of  infection,  Madge,  don't  hesi 
tate  to  retire  to  your  room,"  he  said.  "  Your  dinner 
will  be  sent  to  you." 

"  What  does  this  mean !  "  ejaculated  Mrs.  Evring- 
ham.  "  Why  is  Dr.  Ballard  coming  twice  a  day  to  see 
that  child?" 

"  To  cure  her,  of  course,"  returned  the  broker,  his 
lips  breaking  into  smiles.  "  Why  do  doctors  gener 
ally  visit  patients  ?  " 

"  Then  when  he  came  the  second  time  he  found  her 
well?" 

"  Ha,  ha,"  laughed  Mr.  Evringham,  "  yes,  that 's  it. 
He  found  her  well." 

Eloise  and  her  mother  gazed  at  him  in  astonishment. 
Mrs.  Forbes's  face  was  immovable.  A  sense  of  humor 
was  not  included  in  her  mental  equipment,  and  she 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  155 

considered  the  whole  affair  lamentable  and  unseemly  in 
the  extreme. 

"  Grandpa,"  said  Jewel,  looking  at  him  with  gentle 
reproach,  "  you  're  not  laughing  at  Dr.  Ballard,  are 
you  ?  He  's  the  kindest  man.  I  love  him,  next  to  you, 
best  of  anybody  in  Bel- Air  "  —  then  thinking  this  de 
claration  might  hurt  her  aunt  and  cousin,  she  added, 
"  because  I  know  him  the  best,  you  know.  He  tried 
to  deceive  me  about  the  medicine,  but  it  was  only  be 
cause  he  did  n't  know  that  there  is  n't  any  righteous 
deceiving.  He  meant  to  do  me  good." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  curiously  from  the  child  to 
her  father-in-law.  As  she  herself  said  later,  she  had 
never  felt  so  "  out  of  it "  in  her  life.  As  the  sub 
ject  concerned  Dr.  Ballard,  she  wished  to  understand 
clearly  what  circumstance  could  possibly  have  induced 
Mr.  Evringham  actually  to  laugh  repeatedly. 

"  I  was  passing  your  door  this  afternoon,"  said 
Eloise,  addressing  Jewel,  "  and  I  heard  you  talking. 
I  knew  there  was  no  one  with  you,  and  I  feared  you 
were  very  ill." 

The  little  girl  was  always  pleased  when  her  beautiful 
cousin  looked  at  her. 

"  I  guess  I  was  reading.  Of  course  I  was  in  a  hurry 
to  get  well,  so  as  soon  as  the  fever  was  gone  and  I  felt 
comfortable,  I  began  to  read  out  loud  from  '  Science 
and  Health '  to  Anna  Belle.  She  's  a  Christian  Scien 
tist,  too." 

The  faces  of  Mrs.  Evringham  and  Eloise  were  stud 
ies  as  they  gazed  at  the  speaker. 

Mr.  Evringham  glanced  at  them  maliciously  under 
his  heavy  brows  as  Sarah  brought  in  the  second  course. 


156  JEWEL 

"  Is  Anna  Belle  your  doll  ?  "  asked  Eloise,  for  the 
moment  sufficiently  interested  almost  to  lose  her  self- 
consciousness. 

"  Yes,"  eagerly.  "  Would  you  like  to  see  her  ?  " 
Jewel  gave  a  fleeting  glance  at  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  She 
always  comes  to  the  table  with  me  at  home,"  she  added. 

"  Sit  still,"'  murmured  Mrs.  Forbes  in  low,  sepulchral 
warning. 

"  Now  then,  Jewel,"  said  Mr.  Evringham  as  he  be 
gan  to  serve  the  filet,  "  you  did  n't  take  the  doctor's 
medicine.  What  do  you  think  made  that  high  fever 
go  away  ?  " 

The  little  girl  looked  up  brightly.  "  Oh,  I  tele 
graphed  to  Mrs.  Lewis,  one  of  mother's  friends  in 
Chicago,  to  treat  me." 

"  The  dev —     What  do  you  mean,  child  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham  gazed  at  her,  and  his  tone  was  so 
fierce,  although  he  was  only  very  much  amazed,  that 
Jewel's  smile  faded.  The  corners  of  her  lips  drew 
down  pitifully,  and  suddenly  she  slipped  from  her  chair, 
and  running  to  him  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck 
and  buried  her  averted  face,  revealing  two  forlorn  little 
flaxen  pigtails  devoid  of  ribbons. 

"  What 's  this,  Jewel  ?  "  he  said  quickly,  fearfully 
embarrassed  before  his  wondering  audience.  "  This  is 
very  irregular,  very  irregular."  He  dropped  his  fork 
perforce,  and  his  hand  closed  over  the  little  arm  across 
his  cravat. 

Jewel  was  trying  to  control  a  sob  that  struggled  to 
escape,  and  saying  over  and  over,  as  nearly  as  he  could 
understand,  something  about  God  being  Love. 

"  Go  right  back  to  your  chair  now,  like  a  good  girl." 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  157 

"  Do  you  —  love  me  ?  "  whispered  Jewel. 

"  Yes  —  yes,  I  do." 

"  You  spoke  like  "   —  a  sob  —  "  like  hating." 

"  Not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  rejoined  Mr.  Evringham 
quickly,  "  but  I  was  very  much  surprised,  very." 

"  Shall  I  take  her  upstairs,  sir  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Forbes, 
nearly  bursting  with  the  outrage  of  such  an  interruption 
to  her  employer's  sacred  dinner. 

"  No,  she  's  going  to  sit  right  down  in  her  chair  and 
not  make  any  trouble.  Don't  you  like  those  roses  I 
brought  you,  Jewel  ?  "  he  added  awkwardly,  hoping  to 
make  a  diversion.  He  was  successful.  She  lowered 
her  face,  a  fleeting  April  smile  flitting  over  it. 

"  Did  grandfather  bring  you  those  lovely  roses  ?  " 
asked  Eloise. 

Mr.  Evringham  flashed  her  his  first  glance  of  ap 
proval  for  so  quickly  taking  the  cue. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  child,  her  breath  catching  as 
she  went  back  to  her  chair.  "  I  seemed  so  sick  when 
he  went  away  this  morning  was  the  reason  ;  so  now 
I  'm  well  again  —  they  belong  to  everybody,  don't  they, 
grandpa  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham  paused  to  consider  a  reply.  He  de 
sired  to  be  careful  in  public  not  to  draw  upon  himself 
that  small  catapult. 

"  They  belong  to  you  still,  Jewel.  I  never  take  back 
my  presents,"  he  returned  at  last. 

"  And  I  think  Mrs.  Forbes  was  mistaken  about  the 
false  pretends,"  said  the  child,  swallowing  and  looking 
apologetically  at  the  housekeeper,  "  because  who  would 
pretend  such  error  as  sickness,  and  of  course  you  'd 
know  I  did  n't  pretend." 


158  JEWEL 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  Mr.  Evringham.  "  Mrs.  Forbes 
did  n't  mean  that.  The  whole  thing  seems  like  a  dream 
now,"  he  added. 

"  What  else  could  it  seem  like  ? "  returned  Jewel, 
smiling  faintly  toward  her  grandfather  with  an  air  of 
having  caught  him  napping. 

"  Like  reality,"  he  returned  dryly. 

She  gazed  at  him,  her  smile  fading. 

He  looked  up  apprehensively  and  cringed  a  little, 
not  at  all  sure  that  the  next  instant  would  not  find  the 
rose-leaf  cheek  next  his,  and  a  close  whisper  driving 
cold  chills  down  his  back  ;  but  the  child  only  paused  a 
moment. 

"  Reality  is  so  much  different  from  sin,  disease,  and 
death,"  she  said  at  last,  in  a  matter-of-fact  manner.  It 
was  too  much  for  ,  Mrs.  Evringham' s  risibles.  She 
laughed  in  spite  of  her  daughter's  reproachful  glance. 

"  How  wonderful  if  true  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  It  is  true,"  returned  Jewel  soberly.  "  Even  Anna 
Belle  knows  that ;  but  I  'm  sure  that  you  have  n't 
learned  anything  about  Christian  Science,  aunt  Madge," 
she  added  politely. 

"  What  makes  you  so  sure  ?  "  returned  Mrs.  Evring 
ham  banteringly. 

Jewel  flushed  with  embarrassment  and  glanced  at 
her  grandfather  involuntarily,  but  he  was  busy  eating 
and  evidently  would  not  help  her. 

"  I  'd  rather  not  say,"  replied  the  child  at  last,  and 
her  rejoinder  incited  her  aunt  to  further  merriment. 

"  Aunt  Madge  does  n't  laugh  a  nice  way,"  thought 
Jewel.  "  It 's  even  pleasanter  when  she  looks  sorry." 

"  What  is  real  then,  Jewel  ?  "  asked  Eloise  gravely. 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  159 

The  child  flashed  upon  her  a  sweet  look. 

"  Everything  good  and  glad,"  she  answered. 

Something  rose  in  the  gill's  throat,  and  she  pressed 
her  lips  together  for  an  instant. 

"  You  are  happy  to  believe  that,"  she  returned. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  believe  it,"  replied  Jewel.  "  It 's  one 
of  the  things  I  know.  Mother  says  we  only  believe 
things  when  we  are  n't  sure  about  them.  Mother 
knows  such  a  lot  of  beautiful  truth." 

The  child  looked  at  her  cousin  wistfully  as  she 
spoke.  Eloise  coujd  scarcely  retain  her  proud  and  non 
chalant  bearing  beneath  the  blue  eyes.  They  seemed 
to  see  through  to  her  wretchedness. 

She  did  not  look  at  Jewel  again  during  dinner.  At 
the  close  Mr.  Evringham  pushed  his  chair  back. 

"  I  should  like  you  to  come  with  me  into  my  study, 
Jewel,  for  a  few  minutes." 

The  child's  face  brightened,  and  she  left  the  table 
with  alacrity.  Mr.  Evringham  stood  back  to  allow 
his  guests  to  pass  out.  They  went  on  to  the  draw 
ing-room,  where  Mrs.  Evringham's  self-restraint  was 
loosed. 

"  The  plot  thickens,  Eloise  !  "  she  said. 

"  And  we  are  not  going  away,"  returned  the  girl. 

"  Decidedly  not,"  declared  her  mother  with  emphasis. 

"  There  is  no  hope  of  our  catching  anything  that 
Jewel  has  now,"  went  on  Eloise. 

Her  mother  glanced  at  her  suspiciously.  "  What, 
for  instance  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  returned  the  girl,  shrugging  her  shoulder, 
*'  faith,  hope,  and  charity." 

Mrs.  Evringham  laughed.     "  Indeed  !     Is  the  wind 


160  JEWEL 

in  that  quarter?  Then  with  the  Christian  Science 
microbe  in  the  house,  there  's  no  telling  what  may  hap 
pen  to  you.  Something  more  serious  than  a  fever, 
perhaps."  She  nodded  knowingly.  "  This  sudden 
recovery  looks  very  queer  to  me.  I  'd  keep  the  child 
in  bed  if  I  were  in  authority.  Some  diseases  are  so 
treacherous.  There  's  walking  typhoid  fever,  for  in 
stance.  She  may  have  that  for  all  we  know.  I  shall 
have  a  very  serious  talk  with  Dr.  Ballard  when  he 
comes." 

An  ironical  smile  flitted  over  the  girl's  lips  as  she 
drifted  toward  the  piano.  "  I  judge  from  the  remarks 
at  the  table,  that  the  less  you  say  to  Dr.  Ballard  on  the 
subject  of  to-day's  experiences  the  better." 

"  I  know  it,"  indignantly.  "  I  'm  sure  that  child 
must  have  played  some  practical  joke  on  him.  I  want 
to  get  to  the  bottom  of  it.  What  a  strange  little 
monkey  she  is  !  How  long  will  father  stand  it  ?  What 
did  you  think,  Eloise,  when  she  swooped  upon  him  so 
suddenly  ?  " 

"  I  thought  of  just  one  sentence,"  returned  the  girl. 
"  '  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear.'  " 

"  Why  in  the  world  should  she  love  him  ?  "  protested 
Mrs.  Evringham. 

"  She  would  love  us  all  if  we  would  let  her,"  re 
turned  Eloise,  the  phrases  of  "  Vogel  als  Prophete  "  be 
ginning  to  ripple  softly  from  beneath  her  fingers.  "  I 
saw  it  from  the  first.  I  felt  it  that  first  evening,  when 
we  behaved  toward  her  like  a  couple  of  boors.  Any 
one  can  see  she  has  never  been  snubbed,  never  neglected. 
She  got  out,  of  the  lap  of  love  to  come  to  this  icebox. 
No  wonder  the  change  of  temperature  made  her  ill!  " 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  161 

"  Why,  Eloise,  what  has  come  over  you?  You  never 
used  to  be  disagreeable.  It 's  a  good  thing  the  child 
is  amiable.  It 's  the  only  thing  left  for  a  plain  girl 
to  be." 

"No  one  will  ever  remember  that  she  is  plain," 
remarked  Eloise. 

Her  mother  raised  her  eyebrows  doubtingly.  "  Per 
haps  your  perceptions  are  so  keen  that  you  can  ex 
plain  how  Jewel  managed  to  telegraph  to  Chicago 
to-day,"  she  said.  "  It  reminded  me  of  Dooley's  com 
ments  on  Christian  Science.  Do  you  remember  what 
he  said  about  '  rejucin'  a  swellin'  over  a  long  distance 
tillyphone'?" 

"  I  can't  imagine  how  she  managed  it,"  admitted 
Eloise. 

Neither  could  Mr.  Evringham.  He  had  taken  Jewel 
into  his  study  now  with  the  intention  of  finding  out, 
deeming  a  secluded  apartment  more  desirable  for  cate 
chism  which  might  lay  him  liable  to  personal  attack. 

As  they  entered  the  library  he  turned  on  the  light, 
and  Jewel  glanced  about  with  her  usual  alert  and  ready 
admiration. 

"  Is  this  your  own,  own  particular  room,  grandpa  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  Yes,  where  I  keep  all  my  books  and  papers." 

The  child's  eye  suddenly  lighted  on  the  yellow 
chicken,  and  she  looked  up  at  Mr.  Evringham  with 
a  pleased  smile.  He  had  forgotten  the  chicken,  and 
took  the  seat  before  his  desk,  glancing  vaguely  about 
to  see  which  chair  would  be  least  heavy  and  ponder 
ous  for  his  guest.  She  settled  the  matter  without  any 


1G2  JEWEL 

hesitation  by  jumping  upon  his  knee.  Jewel  had  a 
subject  on  her  mind  which  pressed  heavily,  and  before 
her  companion  had  had  time  to  do  more  than  wink  once 
or  twice  in  his  surprise,  she  proceeded  to  it. 

"  Do  you  know,  grandpa,  I  think  it 's  hard  for  Mrs. 
Forbes  to  love  people  very  much,"  she  said  in  a  low 
ered  voice,  as  if  perhaps  the  walls  might  have  ears. 
"  I  wanted  to  ask  her  yesterday  morning  if  she  did  n't 
love  me  whom  she  had  seen,  how  could  she  love  God 
whom  she  had  n't  seen.  Grandpa,  would  you  be  will 
ing  to  tie  my  bows  ?  " 

"  To  tie  "    —  repeated  Mr.  Evringham,  and  paused. 

The  child  was  gazing  into  his  eyes  earnestly.  She 
put  her  hand  into  her  pocket  and  took  out  two  long 
pieces  of  blue  ribbon. 

"  You  see,  you  're  my  only  real  relation,"  she  ex 
plained,  "  and  so  I  don't  like  to  ask  anybody  else." 

The  startled  look  in  her  grandfather's  face  moved 
her  to  proceed  encouragingly. 

"  You  tie  your  neckties  just  beautifully,  grandpa  ; 
and  Mrs.  Forbes  does  her  duty  so  hard,  and  she  wants 
to  have  my  hair  cut  off,  to  save  trouble."  Jewel  put 
her  hand  up  to  one  short  pigtail  protectingly. 

"  And  you  don't  want  it  cut  off,  eh  ?  " 

"  No  ;  and  mother  would  n't,  either.  So  it  would 
be  error,  and  I  'm  sure  I  could  learn  to  fix  it  better 
than  I  did  to-night,  if  you  would  tie  the  bows.  Just 
try  one  right  now,  grandpa." 

"  With  the  house  full  of  women !  "  gasped  Mr. 
Evringham. 

"  But  none  of  them  my  real  relations,"  replied  Jewel, 
and  she  turned  the  back  of  her  head  to  him,  putting  the 
ribbons  in  his  hands^ 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  163 

His  fingers  fumbled  at  the  task  for  a  minute,  and 
his  breathing  began  to  be  heavy. 

"  Is  it  hard,  grandpa  ?  "  she  asked  sympathetically. 
"  You  can  do  it.  You  reflect  intelligence."  Then  in 
an  instant,  "  Oh,  I  Ve  thought  of  something."  She 
whisked  about,  took  the  ribbons  and  tied  one  tightly 
around  the  end  of  each  braid,  then  ducking  her  fore 
head  into  his  shirt  front,  "  Now  put  your  arms  around 
my  neck  and  tie  the  bow  just  as  if  it  was  on  your 
self."  Eureka  !  The  thing  was  accomplished  and  Mrs. . 
Forbes  outwitted.  The  broker  was  rather  pleased  with 
himself,  at  the  billowy  appearance  of  the  ribbon  which 
covered  such  a  multitude  of  sins  in  the  way  of  bad 
parting  and  braiding.  He  took  his  handkerchief  and 
wiped  the  beads  of  perspiration  from  his  brow,  while 
Jewel  regarded  him  with  admiring  affection. 

"  I  knew  you  could  do  just  anything,  grandpa !  "  she 
said.  "  You  see,"  looking  off  at  a  mental  vision  of  the 
housekeeper,  "  we  could  come  in  here  every  morning 
for  a  minute  before  breakfast,  and  she  'd  never  know, 
would  she?  "  The  child  lifted  her  shoulders  and  laughed 
softly  with  pleasure  at  the  plot. 

Mr.  Evringham  saw  his  opportunity  to  take  the  floor. 

"  Now  Jewel,  I  would  like  to  have  you  explain  what 
you  meant  by  saying  that  you  telegraphed  to  Chicago 
to-day,  when  you  did  n't  leave  your  bed." 

She  looked  up  at  him  attentively.  "  Ezekiel  took 
it  for  me,"  she  replied. 

Mr.  Evringham  unconsciously  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief 
at  this  commonplace  information.  His  knowledge  of 
the  claims  of  Christian  Science  was  extremely  vague, 
and  he  had  feared  being  obliged  to  listen  to  a  declara 
tion  of  the  use  of  some  means  of  communication  which 


164  JEWEL 

would  make  Marconi's  discoveries  appear  like  clumsy 
makeshifts. 

"  But  I  think,  grandpa,  perhaps  you  'd  better  not  tell 
Mrs.  Forbes." 

"  How  did  you  manage  to  see  Zeke  ?  " 

"  I  asked  his  mother  if  he  might  come  to  see  me 
before  he  took  you  to  the  train." 

Mr.  Evringham  pulled  his  mustache  in  amusement. 
"  Did  he  pay  for  the  telegram  ?  " 

"  Why  no,  grandpa.  I  told  you  I  had  plenty  of 
money." 

"  And  you  think  that  Mrs.  Somebody  in  Chicago 
cured  you  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not.     God  did." 

"  But  she  asked  Him,  eh?" 

Jewel's  innocent  eyes  looked  directly  into  the  quizzi 
cal  ones.  "  It 's  pretty  hard  for  a  little  girl  to  teach 
you  about  it  if  you  don't  know,"  she  said  doubtfully. 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  replied,  his  mood  altered  by  her 
tone,  "  but  I  should  like  to  know  what  you  think  about 
it.  Your  cure  was  a  rather  surprising  one  to  us  all." 

"  I  can  tell  you  some  of  the  things  that  I  know." 

"  Do  so  then." 

"  Well  "  —  a  pause  —  "  there  was  n't  anything  to 
cure,  you  see." 

"  All !     You  were  n't  ill  then  !  " 

"  No — o,"  scornfully,  "  of  course  not.  I  knew  it  all 
the  time,  but  it  seemed  so  real  to  me,  and  so  hot,  I  knew 
I  'd  have  to  have  some  one  else  handle  the  claim  for 
me." 

"  It  certainly  did  seem  rather  real."  Mr.  Evring- 
liam  smiled. 


IN  THE  LIBRARY  165 

Jewel  saw  that  he  did  not  in  the  least  comprehend. 

"  Yon  know  there  is  n't  any  devil,  don't  you, 
grandpa  ?  "  she  asked  patiently. 

"  Well,  sometimes  I  have  my  doubts." 

The  little  girl  tried  to  discover  by  his  eyes  if  he 
were  in  earnest. 

"  If  you  believe  there  is,  then  you  could  believe  that 
I  was  really  sick ;  but  if  you  believe  there  is  n't,  and 
that  God  created  everybody  and  everything,  then  it  is 
so  easy  to  understand  that  I  was  n't.  Think  of  God 
creating  anything  bad !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  nodded  vaguely.  "  When  mother 
comes  home  she  '11  tell  you  about  it,  if  you  want  her 
to."  She  sighed  a  little  and  abruptly  changed  the 
subject.  "  Grandpa,  are  you  going  to  be  working  at 
your  desk  ?  " 

"Yes,  for  a  while." 

"  Could  I  sit  over  at  that  table  and  write  a  letter 
while  you  're  busy  ?  I  would  n't  speak."  She  slipped 
down  from  his  knee. 

"  I  don't  know  about  your  having  ink.  You  're  a 
rather  small  girl  to  be  writing  letters." 

"  Oh  no,  I  '11  take  a  pencil  —  because  sometimes  I 
move  quickly  and  ink  tips  over," 

"  Quite  so.  I  'm  glad  you  realize  that,  else  I  should 
be  afraid  to  have  you  come  to  my  study." 

"  You  'd  better  not  be  afraid,"  the  child  shook  her 
head  sagely,  "  because  that  makes  things  happen." 

Her  grandfather  regarded  her  curiously.  This  small 
Bible  student,  who  could  n't  tie  her  own  hair  ribbons, 
was  an  increasing  problem  to  him. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

FAMILY    AFFAIRS 

HE  continued  to  watch  the  child  furtively,  while  she 
made  her  arrangements  for  writing.  Finding  that  no 
chair  in  the  room  would  bring  her  to  a  proper  height 
for  the  table,  she  looked  all  about,  and  finally  skipped 
over  to  the  morocco  lounge  and  tugged  from  it  a  pillow 
almost  too  heavy  for  her  to  carry  ;  but  she  arrived  with 
it  at  the  chair,  much  to  the  amusement  of  Mr.  Evring- 
ham,  who  affected  absorption  in  his  papers,  while  he 
enjoyed  the  exhibition  of  the  child's  energy  and  inde 
pendence. 

"  She  's  the  kind  that  '  makes  old  shears  cut,'  as  my 
mother  used  to  say,"  he  mused,  and  turning,  the  better 
to  view  the  situation,  he  found  Jewel  mounted  on  her 
perch  and  watching  him  fixedly. 

She  looked  relieved.  "  I  did  n't  want  to  disturb 
you,  grandpa,  but  may  I  ask  one  question  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Did  I  consult  Dr.  Ballard  this  afternoon  ?  " 

"  Not  that  I  noticed,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham  ; 
and  Jewel  suspected  from  his  expression  that  she  had 
said  something  amusing. 

"Well,  it  was  a  word  that  sounded  like  consult  that 
Mrs.  Forbes  said  I  did." 

"  Insult,  perhaps,"  suggested  Mr.  Evringham. 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  167 

"  Oh  yes.     How  do  you  spell  it,  grandpa  ?  "' 

Mr.  Evringham  told  her,  and  added  dryly,  "  That 
was  rather  too  strong  language  for  Mrs.  Forbes  to  apply 
to  the  fact." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  child.  "  I  knew  it  was  a  hating 
word."  Then  without  further  parley  she  squared  her 
elbows  on  the  table  and  bent  over  her  sheet  of  paper. 

"  I  wonder  what  version  of  it  she  '11  give  her  mother," 
thought  the  broker,  rummaging  vaguely  in  the  pigeon 
holes  of  his  desk.  His  labors  finally  sifted  down  to 
the  unearthing  of  a  late  novel  from  a  drawer  at  his 
right  hand,  and  lowering  a  convenient,  green-shaded 
electric  light,  he  lit  his  cigar,  and  was  soon  lost  in  the 
pages  of  the  story. 

At  last  he  became  conscious  that  the  pencil  at  the 
table  had  ceased  to  move,  and  lowering  his  book  he 
looked  up.  His  granddaughter  had  been  watching  for 
this  happy  event,  and  she  no  sooner  met  his  eyes  than, 
with  a  smile  of  satisfaction,  she  jumped  from  her  mo 
rocco  perch  and  brought  him  a  sheet  of  paper  well  and 
laboriously  covered. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  n't  all  spelled  right,"  she  said.  "  I 
did  n't  want  to  disturb  you  to  ask  ;  but  will  you  please 
direct  this  to  Dr.  Ballard  ?  " 

"To  Dr.  Ballard!"  repeated  Mr.  Evringham.  His 
curiosity  impelled  him.  "Shall  I  see  if  it  is  spelled 
right  ?  " 

Jewel  assenting,  he  read  the  following  in  a  large  and 
waving  hand. 

DEAR  DOCTER  BALUD  —  Mrs.  Forbs  felt  bad  becaua 
I  did  not  take  your  Medsin.  She  said  it  was  an  insult, 


168  JEWEL 

I  want  to  tell  you  I  did  not  meen  an  Insult.  We  cant 
help  loving  God  beter  than  any  body,  but  I  love  you 
and  if  I  took  any  rnedsin  I  would  rather  take  yours 
than  any  boddy's.  Mrs.  Forbs  says  you  will  send  a 
big  Bill  to  Grandpa  and  that  it  was  error  to  waist  it. 
Please  send  the  Bill  to  me  becaus  I  have  Plenty  of 
munny,  and  I  shall  love  to  pay  you.  You  were  very 
kind  and  did  not  put  any  thing  on  my  Tung. 

Your  loving  JEWEL. 

Mr.  Evringham  continued  to  look  at  the  signature 
for  a  minute  before  he  spoke.  Jewel  was  leaning 
against  his  arm  and  reading  with  him.  The  last  lines 
slanted  deeply,  there  being  barely  room  in  the  lower 
corner  for  the  writer's  name. 

"  I  can't  write  very  straight  without  lines,"  she  said. 

"  You  do  very  well  indeed,"  he  returned.  "  About 
that  bill,  Jewel,"  he  added  after  a  moment.  "  Perhaps 
you  would  better  let  me  pay  it.  I  believe  you  said 
you  had  three  dollars,  but  even  that  won't  last  for 
ever,  you  know.  You  've  spent  some  of  it,  too.  How 
much,  now?" 

"  I  've  spent  fifty  cents."  Jewel  cast  a  furtive  look 
around  at  the  chicken,  "  And,  oh  yes,  fifty  cents  more 
for  the  telegram.  How  much  do  you  think  Dr.  Bal- 
lard'sbiU  will  be?" 

"  I  think  it  will  take  every  cent  you  have  left,"  re 
turned  Mr.  Evringham  gravely,  curious  to  hear  what 
his  granddaughter  would  say  in  this  dilemma. 

Her  reply  came  promptly  and  even  eagerly.  "•  A\  ell, 
that 's  all  right,  because  Divine  Love  will  send  me  more 
if  I  need  it." 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  169 

"  Indeed  ?     How  can  you  be  sure  ?  " 

Jewel  smiled  at  him  affectionately.  "  Do  you  mean 
it,  grandpa?  " 

"  Why  yes.     I  really  want  to  know." 

"  Even  after  God  sent  you  Essex  Maid  ?  "  she  asked 
incredulously. 

"  You  think  the  mare  is  the  best  thing  in  my  pos 
session,  eh  ?  " 

"Ye— es!     Don't  you?" 

"  I  believe  I  do."  As  Mr.  Evringham  spoke,  this 
kinship  of  taste  induced  him  to  turn  his  face  toward 
the  one  beside  him.  Instantly  he  found  himself  kissed 
full  on  the  lips,  and  while  he  was  recovering  from  the 
shock,  Jewel  proceeded  :  — 

"  God  has  given  you  so  many  things,  grandpa,  that 's 
why  it  surprised  me  to  have  you  look  so  sorry  when  I 
first  came."  The  child  examined  his  countenance  crit 
ically.  "  I  don't  think  you  look  quite  so  sorry  as  you 
used  to.  I  know  you  must  have  lots  of  error  to  meet, 
and  perhaps,"  lowering  her  voice  to  an  extra  gentleness, 
"  perhaps  you  don't  know  how  to  remember  every  min 
ute  that  God  is  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  Mother 
says  that  even  grown-up  people  are  just  finding  out 
about  it." 

As  she  paused  Mr.  Evringham  hesitated,  somewhat 
embarrassed  under  the  blue  eyes.  "  We  all  have  plenty 
to  learn,  I  dare  say,"  he  returned  vaguely. 

He  had  more  than  once  wished  that  he  had  taken 
more  notice  of  Harry's  wife  during  his  opportunity  at 
the  hotel.  He  had  looked  upon  the  interview  as  a 
distasteful  necessity  to  be  disposed  of  as  cursorily  as 
possible. 


170  JEWEL 

His  son  had  married  beneath  him,  some  working  girl 
probably,  whose  ability  to  support  herself  had  turned 
out  to  be  a  deliverance  for  her  father-in-law  when  the 
ne'er-do-well  husband  shirked  his  responsibilities  ;  and 
Mr.  Evringham  had  gone  to  the  hotel  that  evening  in 
tending  to  make  it  clear  that  although  he  performed  a 
favor  for  his  son,  there  were  no  results  to  follow. 

His  granddaughter's  fearlessness,  courtesy,  and  af 
fection  had  forced  him  to  wonder  as  to  the  mother 
who  had  fostered  these  qualities.  He  remembered  the 
eloquence  of  his  son's  face  when  Harry  expressed  the 
wish  that  he  might  know  Julia,  and  a  vague  admiration 
and  respect  were  being  born  in  the  broker's  heart  for 
the  deserted  woman  who  had  worked  with  hand  and 
brain  for  her  child  —  his  grandchild  was  the  way  he 
put  it  —  with  such  results  as  he  saw. 

Some  perception  of  what  Harry's  sensations  must 
have  been  during  the  last  six  months  came  to  him  as  ho 
sat  there  with  the  little  girl's  arm  about  him.  Harry 
had  come  home  and  discovered  his  child,  his  Jewel.  A 
frown  gathered  on  the  broker's  brow  as  he  realized  the 
hours  of  vain  regret  his  son  must  have  suffered  for 
those  lost  years  of  the  child's  life. 

"  Served  him  right,  served  him  perfectly  right !  " 

"  What,  grandpa  ?  " 

The  question  made  Mr.  Evringham  aware  that  the 
indignant  words  had  been  muttered  above  his  breath. 

"  I  was  thinking  of  your  father,"  he  replied.  "  Has  he 
learned  these  things  that  your  mother  has  taught  you  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes,"  with  soft  eagerness  ;  "  father  is  learning 
everything."  Jewel  saw  her  grandfather's  frown  and 
she  lowered  her  voice  almost  to  a  whisper.  "  Don't  feel 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  171 

sorry  about  father,  grandpa.  He  says  he  's  ,  the  happi 
est  man  in  the  world.  Mother  did  n't  find  out  about  God 
till  after  father  had  gone  to  California,  or  he  would  n't 
have  ffone ;  and  for  a  long-  time  she  did  n't  know  where 

o  ?  o 

he  was,  and  I  was  only  beginning  to  walk  around,  so  I 
could  n't  help  her ;  but  when  I  got  bigger  I  had  father's 
picture,  and  we  used  to  talk  to  it  every  day,  and  at  last 
mother  knew  that  Divine  Love  would  bring  father  back ; 
and  pretty  soon  he  began  to  write  to  her,  and  he  said 
he  could  n't  come  home  because  he  felt  so  sorry,  and  he 
was  going  to  the  war.  So  then  mother  and  I  prayed  a 
great  deal  every  day,  and  we  knew  father  would  be  taken 
care  of.  And  then  mother  kept  writing  to  him  not  to 
be  sorry,  because  error  was  nothing  and  the  child  of 
God  could  always  have  his  right  place,  and  everything 
like  that,  and  at  last  the  war  was  over  and  he  came 
home."  Jewel  paused. 

Mr.  Evringham  wondered  what  she  was  seeing  with 
that  far-away  look. 

Presently  she  turned  to  him  with  the  smile  of  irre 
sistible  sweetness  —  Harry's  smile  —  and  a  surprising 
fullness  came  in  the  broker's  throat.  "  Father 's  just 
splendid,"  she  finished. 

Her  grandfather  was  not  wholly  pleased  with  the 
verdict.  He  had  gained  a  taste  for  incense  himself. 

"  He  has  been  at  home  over  six  months,,  I  believe," 
he  returned. 

"  Yes,  all  winter;  and  we  have  more  fun  !  " 

"  Your  father  is  not  a  Christian  Scientist,  I  presume," 
remarked  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  Oh  yes,  he  's  learning  to  be.  Of  course  he  goes  to 
church  "  — 


172  JEWEL 

"  He  does,  eh  ?  "  put  in  the  broker,  surprised. 

"  Of  course  ;  and  he  studies  the  lesson  with  us  every 
day.  He  had  been  sorry  so  much  and  so  long,  you 
know,  mother  said  he  was  all  ready ;  and  beside  —  be 
side  "  -  Jewel  hesitated  and  became  silent. 

"Beside  what?" 

She  began  very  softly  and  half  reluctantly.  "  Father 
had  a  sickness  two  or  three  times  when  he  first  came 
home,  and  he  was  healed,  and  so  he  was  very  grateful 
and  wanted  to  know  about  God." 

"  H'm.  I  'm  glad  he  was.  I  hope  he  will  make 
your  mother  very  happy  after  this." 

"  He  does."  The  child  lost  her  seriousness  and 
laughed  reminiscently.  "  Father  and  I  have  the  best 
times.  Mother  says  he  *s  younger  than  I  am." 

"  You  miss  him,  eh  ?  "  Mr.  Evringham  half  frowned 
into  the  fresh  little  face. 

"  Oh  yes,  I  do,"  with  a  sigh,  "  but  it  would  be  error 
to  be  sorry  when  I  could  come  to  see  you,  grandpa." 

Mr.  Evringham  cogitated  a  minute  on  the  probable 
loneliness  of  the  last  three  days,  and  began  to  won 
der  what  this  philosophy  could  be  which  gave  practical 
help  to  a  child  of  eight  years.  He  was  still  holding  the 
letter  to  Dr.  Ballard  in  his  hand. 

"  I  think  I  '11  let  you  direct  this  yourself,  Jewel,"  he 
said.  He .  rose  and  brought  the  morocco  cushion  to 
his  desk  chair.  "  Sit  up  here  and  I  will  tell  you  the 
address." 

She  obeyed,  and  Mr.  Evringham  watched  the  little 
fingers  clenched  around  the  pen  as  she  strove  to  resist 
its  tendency  to  write  down  hill  on  the  envelope. 

"  And  you  're  quite  sure  that  more  money  will  be 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  173 

forthcoming  when  yours  is  gone,  eh  ?  "  he  asked  when 
the  feat  was  accomplished. 

"  Oh  yes  ;  if  I  need  it." 

"  How  will  it  come,  for  instance  ?  " 

She  looked  up  quickly.  "  I  don't  need  to  know  that," 
she  replied. 

Mr.  Evringham  bit  his  lip.  "  That 's  unanswerable," 
he  thought,  "  and  rather  neat." 

At  this  moment  a  knock  sounded  at  the  library  door, 
and  a  moment  afterward  Mrs.  Forbes  presented  herself. 

"  Excuse  me,  Mr.  Evringham.  I  'm  afraid  Julia  has 
been  in  your  way,  staying  so  long." 

"  No,  Mrs.  Forbes,  thank  you,"  he  returned.  "  She 
had  a  letter  to  write,  and  I  have  been  reading." 

"  Very  well.  It  is  her  bedtime  now."  The  house 
keeper's  tone  was  inexorable,  and  Jewel  lifted  her 
shoulders  as  she  glanced  up  at  her  grandfather,  and 
again  he  found  himself  taken  into  a  confidence  which 
excluded  his  excellent  housekeeper.  "  It  is  better  for 
us  to  yield,"  said  Jewel's  shoulders  and  mute  lips.  Be 
fore  Mr.  Evringham  could  suspect  her  intention,  she 
had  jumped  up  on  the  cushion  nimbly  as  a  squirrel,  and 
hugging  him  in  a  business-like  manner,  kissed  him 
twice. 

"  Good-night,  grandpa." 

"  Good-night,  Jewel,"  he  returned,  going  to  the 
length  of  patting  her  shoulder. 

She  jumped  down  and  ran  to  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  You 
need  n't  come  with  me,  you  know,"  she  said,  holding  up 
her  face.  Mrs.  Forbes  hesitated  a  moment.  She  had 
not  as  yet  recovered  from  this  latest  liberty  taken  with 
the  head  of  the  house. 


174  JEWEL 

"  Let  me  feel  of  your  hands,  Julia."  She  took  them 
in  hers  and  touched  the  child's  cheeks  and  forehead  as 
well.  "  You  seem  to  feel  all  right,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yes'm." 

"  No  soreness  or  pain  anywhere  ?  " 

"  No'm.      Good-night,  Mrs.  Forbes." 

The  housekeeper  stooped  from  her  height  and  accepted 
the  offered  kiss. 

"  Do  you  prefer  to  go  alone,  Jewel  ?  Is  n't  it  lonely 
for  you  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  No — o,  grandpa !     Anna  Belle  is  up  there." 

"  You  're  not  afraid  of  the  dark  then  ?  " 

Jewel  looked  at  the  speaker,  uncertain  of  his  serious 
ness.  He  seemed  in  earnest,  however.  "  The  dark  is 
easy  to  drive  away  in  this  house,"  she  replied.  "  It  is 
so  interesting,  just  like  a  treatment.  The  room  seems 
full  of  darkness,  error,  and  I  just  turn  the  switch,"  she 
illustrated  with  thumb  and  finger  in  the  air,  "  and 
suddenly  —  there  is  n't  any  darkness  !  It 's  all  bright 
and  happy,  just  like  me  to-day  !  " 

"  Indeed  !  "  returned  Mr.  Evringham,  standing  with 
his  feet  apart  and  his  arms  folded.  "  Is  that  what  the 
lady  in  Chicago  did  for  you  to-day  ?  " 

"Yes,  grandpa,"  Jewel  nodded  eagerly.  She  was 
so  glad  to  have  him  understand.  "  She  just  turned 
the  light,  Truth,  right  into  me." 

"  She  prayed  to  the  Creator  to  cure  you,  you  mean." 

Jewel  looked  off.  "  No,  not  that,"  she  answered 
slowly,  searching  for  words  to  make  her  meaning 
plain.  "  God  does  n't  have  to  be  begged  to  do  any 
thing,  because  He  can't  change,  He  is  always  the 
same,  and  always  perfect,  and  always  giving  us  every- 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  175 

thing  good,  and  it 's  only  for  us  —  not  to  believe  —  in 
the  things  that  seem  to  get  in  the  way.  I  was  be 
lieving  there  was  something  in  the  way,  and  that 
lady  knew  there  was  n't,  and  she  knew  it  so  well  that 
the  old  dark  fever  could  n't  stay.  Nothing  can  stay 
that  God  does  n't  make  —  not  any  longer  than  we  let 
it  cheat  us." 

"  And  she  was  a  thousand  miles  away,"  remarked 
Mr.  Evringham. 

"  Why,  grandpa,"  returned  Jewel,  ;'  there  is  n't  any 
space  in  Spirit."  She  gave  a  little  sigh.  "  I  'm  real 
sorry  you  're  too  big  to  be  let  into  the  Christian  Science 
Sunday-school. ' ' 

Mrs.  Forbes's  lips  fell  apart. 

"  One  moment  more,  Jewel,"  said  Mr.  Evringham. 
"Mrs.  Forbes  was  telling  me  of  the  gentleman  who 
spoke  to  you  on  the  trolley  car  yesterday." 

"  Oh  yes,"  returned  the  child,  smiling  at  the  pleasing 
memory.  "  The  Christian  Scientist !  " 

"  What  makes  you  think  he  is  a  Christian  Scientist  ?  " 
asked  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  I  know  he  was.  He  had  on  the  pin."  Jewel 
showed  the  one  she  wore,  and  her  grandfather  examined 
the  little  cross  and  crown  curiously. 

"  I  wonder  if  it 's  possible,"  he  soliloquized  aloud. 

"  Oh  yes,  grandpa,  he  is  one,  and  if  he  's  a  friend  of 
yours  he  can  explain  to  you  so  much  better  than  a  little 
girl  can." 

After  the  child  had  left  the  room  Mr.  Evringham 
and  his  housekeeper  stood  regarding  one  another.  His 
usually  unsmiling  countenance  was  relaxed.  Mrs. 
Forbes  observed  his  novel  expression,  but  did  not  sus- 


176  JEWEL 

pect  that  the  light  twinkling  in  his  deep-set  eyes  was 
partly  due  to  the  sight  of  her  own  pent-up  emotion. 

He  hooked  one  thumb  in  his  vest  and  balanced  his 
eyeglasses  in  his  other  hand. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  her  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  I  think,  sir,"  returned  the  housekeeper  emphati 
cally,  "  that  if  anybody  bought  that  child  for  a  fool  he 
would  n't  get  his  money's  worth." 

"  Even  though  she  is  a  Scientist  ? "  added  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham,  his  mustache  curving  in  a  smile. 

"  She 's  too  smart  for  me.  I  don't  like  children  to 
be  so  smart.  The  idea  of  her  setting  up  to  teach  you, 
Mr.  Evringham ! " 

"  That  should  n't  be  so  surprising.  I  read  a  long 
time  ago  something  about  certain  things  being  concealed 
from  the  wise  and  prudent  and  revealed  unto  babes." 

"  Babes  !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Forbes.  "  We  've  been 
the  babes.  If  that  young  one  can  lie  in  bed  with  a 
fever,  and  wind  every  one  of  us  around  her  finger  the 
way  she 's  done  to-day,  what  can  we  expect  when  she 's 
up  and  around  ?  " 

The  broker  laughed.  "  She 's  an  Evringham,  an 
Evringham !  "  he  said. 

"  You  may  laugh,  sir,  but  what  do  you  think  of  her 
wheedling  me  into  sending  Zeke  up,  and  then  getting 
him  off  on  the  sly  with  that  telegram  ?  I  faced  him 
down  with  it  to-night,  and  Zeke  is  n't  any  good  at 
fibbing." 

"  I  '11  be  hanged  if  I  don't  think  it  was  a  pretty  good 
thing  for  me,"  rejoined  Mr.  Evringham,  "  and  money 
in  my  pocket.  It  looked  as  if  I  was  in  for  Ballard  for 
a  matter  of  weeks." 


FAMILY  AFFAIRS  177 

"  But  the  —  the  —  the  audacity  of  it !  "  protested 
Mrs.  Forbes.  "  What  do  you  think  she  said  after  you 
and  Dr.  Ballard  had  gone  downstairs  ?  I  tried  to 
bring  her  to  a  sense  of  what  she  'd  done,  and  all  she 
answered  was  that  she  had  known  that  God  would 
deliver  her  out  of  the  snare  of  the  fowler.  Now  I 
should  like  to  ask  you,  Mr.  Evringham,"  added  Mrs. 
Forbes  in  an  access  of  outraged  virtue,  "  which  of  us 
three  do  you  think  she  called  the  fowler  ?  " 

"  Give  it  up,  I  'm  sure,"  returned  the  broker ;  "  but 
I  can  imagine  that  we  seemed  three  pretty  determined 
giants  for  one  small  girl  to  outwit." 

"  She  'd  outwit  a  regiment,  sir  ;  and  I  don't  see  how 
you  can  permit  it." 

Mr.  Evringham  endeavored  to  compose  his  counte 
nance.  "  We  must  allow  her  religious  liberty,  I  sup 
pose,  Mrs.  Forbes.  It 's  a  matter  of  religion  with  her 
—  that  is,  we  must  allow  it  as  long  as  she  keeps  well. 
If  Ballard  had  found  her  worse  to-night,  I  assure  you 
I  should  have  consigned  all  Christian  Scientists  to  the 
bottom  of  the  sea,  and  that  little  zealot  would  have 
taken  her  medicine  from  my  own  hand.  All 's  well  that 
ends  well,  eh?  " 

Mrs.  Forbes  had  caught  sight  of  the  incongruous 
adornment  of  her  employer's  desk. 

With  majestic  strides  she  advanced  upon  the  yellow 
chicken  and  swept  it  into  her  apron.  u  Julia  must  be 
taught  not  to  litter  your  room,  sir." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  returned  the  broker  firmly, 
also  advancing  and  holding  out  his  hand.  "  That  is 
my  chicken." 

Slowly  Mrs.  Forbes  restored  the  confiscated  property, 


178  JEWEL 

and  Mr.  Evringham  examined  it  carefully  to  see  that 
it  was  intact,  and  then  set  it  carefully  on  his  desk. 

Mrs.  Forbes  recalled  the  confectioner's  window. 
"  She  must  have  bought  that  chicken  when  my  back 
was  turned !  "  she  thought.  "  That  young  one  could 
have  given  points  to  Napoleon." 


CHAPTER  XV 

A    RAINY    MORNING 

THE  next  morning  it  rained  so  heavily  that  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham  was  obliged  to  forego  his  ride.  Wet  weather 
was  an  unmixed  ill  to  him.  It  not  only  made  riding 
and  golf  undesirable,  but  it  reminded  him  that  rheu 
matism  was  getting  a  grip  on  one  of  his  shoulders. 

"  It  is  disgusting,  perfectly  disgusting  to  grow  old," 
he  muttered  as  he  descended  the  broad  staircase.  On 
the  lower  landing  Jewel  rose  up  out  of  the  dusk,  where 
she  had  been  sitting  near  the  beautiful  clock.  Her 
bright  little  face  shone  up  at  him  like  a  sunbeam. 

"  You  did  n't  expect  to  see  me,  grandpa,  did  you  ?  " 
she  asked,  and  as  it  did  not  even  occur  to  him  to  stoop 
his  head  to  her,  she  seized  his  hand  and  kissed  it  as 
they  went  on  down  the  stairs. 

"  I  was  so  disappointed  because  it  rained  so  hard.  I 
was  going  to  see  you  ride." 

"  Yes.      Beastly  weather,"  assented  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  But  the  flowers  and  trees  want  a  drink,  don't 
they?" 

"  'M.     I  suppose  so." 

"  And  the  brook  will  be  prettier  than  ever." 

"  'M.     See  that  you  keep  out  of  it." 

"  Yes,  I  will,  grandpa ;  and  I  thought  the  first  thing 
this  morning,  I  '11  wear  my  rubbers  all  day.  I  was  so 


180  JEWEL 

afraid  I  might  forget  I  put  them  right  on  to  make 
sure." 

They  had  reached  the  hall,  and  Jewel  exhibited  hei 
feet  encased  in  the  roomy  storm  rubbers. 

"  Great  Scott,  child ! "  ejaculated  Mr.  Evringham, 
viewing  the  shiny  overshoes.  "  What  size  are  your 
feet?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  returned  the  little  girl,  "  but  I  only 
have  to  scuff  some,  and  then  they  '11  stay  on.  Mrs. 
Forbes  said  I  'd  grow  to  them." 

"  So  you  will,  I  should  think,  if  you  're  going  to  wear 
them  in  the  house  as  well  as  out."  It  was  against  Mr. 
Evringham's  principles  to  smile  before  breakfast,  at  all 
events  at  any  one  except  Essex  Maid ;  but  the  large, 
shiny  overshoes  that  looked  like  overgrown  beetles,  and 
Jewel's  optimistic  determination  to  make  him  happy, 
even  offset  his  painful  arm. 

"  The  house  does  n't  leak  anywhere,''  he  said.  "  I 
think  it  will  be  safe  for  you  to  take  them  off  until  after 
breakfast." 

Jewel  lifted  her  shoulders  and  looked  up  at  him  with 
the  glance  he  knew. 

"  Unless  we  're  going  out  to  the  stable,"  she  said 
suggestively. 

He  hesitated  a  moment.  "  Very  well,"  he  returned. 
"  Let  us  go  to  the  stable." 

kt>  But  first  we  must  tie  the  ribbons,"  she  said  with  a 
joyous  chuckle.  She  would  have  skipped  but  for  the 
rubbers.  As  it  was,  she  proceeded  circumspectly  to  the 
library,  drawing  the  broker  by  the  hand.  "  I  want  you 
to  see,  grandpa,  if  you  don't  think  I  made  my  parting 
real  straight  this  morning,"  she  said  as  she  softly 
closed  the  door. 


A  RAINY  MORNING  181 

"  Gently  on  my  arm,  Jewel,"  he  remonstrated, 
wincing  as  she  returned,  flinging  her  energetic  little 
body  against  him.  "  I  have  the  rheumatism  like  the 
devil  —  pardon  me." 

She  looked  at  him  suddenly,  wondering  and  wistful, 
"  Oh,  have  you  ?  "  she  returned  sympathetically.  "  But 
it  is  only  like  the  devil,  grandpa,"  she  added  hopefully, 
"and  you  know  there  isn't  any  devil." 

"  I  can't  discuss  theology  before  breakfast,"  he  re 
turned  briefly. 

"  Dear  grandpa,  you  shan't  have  a  single  pain ! " 
She  held  her  head  back  and  looked  at  him  lovingly. 

"  Very  likely  not,  when  I  've  begun  playing  the  harp. 
Now  where  are  those  con —  those  ribbons  ?  " 

Jewel's  eyes  and  lips  grew  suddenly  serious  and 
doubtful,  and  he  observed  the  change. 

"  Yes,  your  hair  ribbons,  you  know,"  he  added  hastily 
and  with  an  attempt  at  geniality. 

"  Not  if  you  don't  like  to,  grandpa." 
"  I  love  to,"  he  protested.     "  I  've  been  looking  for 
ward  to  it  all  the  morning.     I  thought  '  never  mind  if 
I  can't  go  riding,  I  can  tie  Jewel's  hair  ribbons.'  " 

The  child  laughed  a  little,  even  though  her  compan 
ion  did  not.  "  Oh  grandpa,  you  're  such  a  joker,"  she 
said  ;  "just  like  father." 

But  he  saw  that  she  doubted  his  mood,  and  the  toe 
of  one  of  the  overshoes  was  boring  into  the  carpet  as 
she  still  stood  where  she  had  withdrawn  from  him. 

Somehow  the  clumsy  rubbers  and  her  patience  with 
them  suddenly  touched  him. 

"  Let  us  see  if  you  parted  your  hair  better,"  he  said 
in  a  different  and  gentler  tone,  and  instantly  the  flaxen 


182  JEWEL 

head  was  bent  before  him,  and  Jewel  felt  in  her  pocket 
for  the  ribbons.  He  had  not  the  heart  to  say  what  he 
thought ;  namely,  that  her  parting  looked  as  though  a 
saw  had  been  substituted  for  a  comb. 

"  Very  well,  very  well,"  he  said  kindly. 

When  the  ribbons  were  at  last  tied,  the  two  pro 
ceeded  to  the  dining-room.  Here  an  open  fire  of  logs 
furnished  the  cheerful  light  that  was  lacking  outside. 
The  morning  paper  hung  over  the  back  of  a  chair, 
warming  before  the  blaze. 

Mrs.  Forbes  entered  from  the  butler's  pantry  and 
looked  surprised.  "  I  did  n't  expect  you  down  for  half 
an  hour  yet,  sir.  Shall  I  hurry  breakfast  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  'm  going  to  take  Jewel  to  the  stable."  Mr. 
Evringham  stopped  and  took  a  few  lumps  of  sugar  from 
the  bowl. 

"  Julia,  where  are  your  rubbers  ?  "  asked  the  house 
keeper. 

"  On,"  said  the  child,  lifting  her  foot. 

"  I  only  hope  they  '11  stay  there,"  remarked  her  grand 
father.  "  I  think,  Mrs.  Forbes,  you  must  buy  shoes  as 
I  've  heard  that  Chinamen  do,  —  the  largest  they  can 
get  for  the  money." 

He  disappeared  with  his  happy  little  companion,  and 
the  housekeeper  looked  after  them  disapprovingly. 

"  They  're  both  going  out  bareheaded,"  she  mused. 
"  I  'd  like  to  bet  —  I  would  bet  anything  that  she  asked 
him  to  take  her.  He  never  even  stopped  to  look  at  the 
paper.  He's  just  putty  in  her  hands,  that's  what  he 
is,  putty  ;  and  she  's  been  here  three  days." 

Mr.  Evringham's  apprehensions  proved  to  have  foun 
dation.  Halfway  to  the  barn  Jewel  stepped  in  a  bit  of 


A  RAINY  MORNING  183 

sticky  mud  and  left  one  rubber.  Her  companion  did 
not  stop  to  let  her  get  it,  but  picking  her  up  under  his 
well  arm,  strode  on  to  the  barn,  where  they  appeared  to 
the  astonished  Zeke. 

Jewel  was  laughing  in  high  glee.  She  was  used  to 
being  caught  up  in  a  strong  arm  and  run  with. 

Mr.  Evringham  shook  the  drops  from  his  head. 
"  Get  Jewel's  rubber  please,  Zeke,"  he*  said,  pointing 
with  his  thumb  over  his  shoulder. 

"  I  was  Cinderella,"  cried  the  child  gayly.  "  That 's 
my  glass  slipper  out  there  in  the  mud." 

Zeke  would  have  liked  to  joke  with  her,  but  that  was 
an  impossibility  in  the  august  presence.  He  cast  a 
curious  glance  at  the  little  girl  as  he  left  the  barn.  He 
had  received  his  mother's  version  of  yesterday's  experi 
ence.  "  W ell,  it  looks  to  me  as  if  there  was  something 
those  Christian  Science  folks  know  that  the  rest  of  us 
don't,"  he  soliloquized.  "  I  saw  her  with  my  own  eyes, 
and  felt  her  with  my  own  hands.  Mother  says  children 
get  up  from  anything  twice  as  quick  as  grown  folks, 
but  I  don't  know." 

"  Don't  you  love  a  stable,  grandpa  ? "  exclaimed 
Jewel.  "  Oh,  I  'm  too  happy  to  scuff,"  and  she  kicked 
off  the  other  rubber.  Even  while  she  spoke  Essex 
Maid  looked  around  and  whinnied  at  sight  of  her 
master. 

"  She  knows  you,  she  knows  you,"  cried  the  little 
girl  joyously,  hopping  up  and  down. 

"  Of  course,"  said  Mr.  Evringham,  holding  out  his 
hand  to  the  delighted  child  and  leading  her  into  the 
stall.  The  mare  rubbed  her  nose  against  him.  u  We 
could  n't  get  out  this  morning,  eh  girl  ?  "  said  the  broker, 


184  JEWEL 

caressing  her  neck,  while  Jewel  smoothed  the  bright 
coat  as  high  as  she  could  reach.  Her  grandfather 
lifted  her  in  his  arms.  "  Here,  my  maid,  here  's  a  new 
friend  for  you.  In  my  pocket,  Jewel." 

The  child  took  out  the  lumps  of  sugar  one  by  one, 
and  Essex  Maid  ate  them  from  the  little  hand,  touching 
it  gently  with  her  velvet  lips.  Zeke  came  in  and 
whistled  softly  as  he  glanced  at  the  group  in  the  stall. 

"  Whew,"  he  mused.  "  He  's  letting  her  feed  the 
Maid.  I  guess  she  can  put  her  shoes  in  his  trunk  all 
right." 

Mr.  Evringham  set  Jewel  on  the  mare's  back  and 
she  smoothed  the  bright  mane  and  patted  the  beautiful 
creature. 

"  I  'd  like  to  gallop  off  now  over  the  whole  country," 
she  said,  her  face  glowing. 

"  I  should  n't  be  surprised  either  if  you  could  do  it 
bareback,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham ;  "  but  you  must 
never  come  into  either  of  the  stalls 'without  me.  You 
understand,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  grandpa.  I  'm  glad  you  told  me  though,  be 
cause  I  guess  I  should  have."  The  child  gave  a  quick, 
unconscious  sigh. 

"  Well,  we  'd  better  go  in  now." 

"  How  kind  you  are  to  me,"  said  the  child  gratefully, 
as  she  slid  off  the  horse's  back  with  her  arms  around 
her  grandfather's  neck. 

He  had  forgotten  his  rheumatic  shoulder  for  the 
time. 

"  You  can  bring  those  rubbers  in  later,"  he  said  to 
Zeke,  and  so  carried  Jewel  out  of  the  barn,  through  the 
rain,  and  into  the  house. 


A  RAINY  MORNING  185 

Mrs.  Forbes  watched  the  entrance.  "  Breakfast  i» 
served,  sir,"  she  said  with  dignity.  She  thought  hel 
employer  should  have  worn  a  hat. 

Jewel  was  not  offered  eggs  this  morning.  Instead 
she  had,  after  her  fruit  and  oatmeal,  a  slice  of  ham 
and  a  baked  potato. 

Her  roses  were  fresh  this  morning  and  opening  in 
the  warmth  of  the  fire,  but  Mr.  Evringham's  eyes  were 
caught  by  a  mass  of  American  Beauties  which  stood  in 
an  alcove  close  to  the  window. 

"  Where  did  those  come  from  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  They  belong  to  Miss  Eloise,"  replied  Mrs.  Forbes. 
"  She  asked  me  to  take  care  of  them  for  her." 

"  Humph !  Ballard  again,  I  suppose,"  remarked  the 
broker. 

"  I  hope  so,"  responded  Mrs.  Forbes  devoutly. 

Mr.  Evringham  had  spoken  to  himself,  and  he 
glanced  up  from  his  paper,  surprised  by  the  prompt 
fervor  of  the  reply.  The  housekeeper  looked  non 
committal,  but  her  meaning  dawned  upon  him,  and  he 
smiled  slightly  as  he  returned  to  the  news  of  the  day. 

"  Dr.  Ballard  must  love  Cousin  Eloise  very  much," 
said  Jewel,  mashing  her  potato.  "  He  sent  her  a  splen 
did  box  of  candy,  too." 

She  addressed  her  remark  to  Mrs.  Forbes,  and  in  a 
low  tone,  in  order  not  to  disturb  her  grandfather's 
reading. 

"  Any  girl  can  get  candy  and  flowers  and  love,  if 
she  's  only  pretty  enough,"  returned  Mrs.  Forbes ;  "  but 
she  must  n't  forget  to  be  pretty." 

The  speaker's  tone  appealed  to  Jewel  as  signifying  a 
grievance.  She  looked  up. 


186  JEWEL 

"  Why,  somebody  married  you,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  she 
said  kindly. 

Mr.  Evringham's  paper  hid  a  face  which  suddenly 
contorted,  but  the  housekeeper's  quick-glancing  eyes 
could  not  see  a  telltale  motion. 

She  gave  a  hard  little  laugh.  "  You  think  there  's 
hope  for  you  then,  do  you  ?  "  she  returned. 

"  I  guess  I  'm  not  going  to  be  married,"  replied 
Jewel.  "  Father  says  I  'm  going  to  be  his  bachelor 
maid  when  I  grow  up." 

"  Shouldn't  wonder  if  you  were,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes 
dryly. 

The  owner  of  the  American  Beauties  and  the  be- 
ribboned  bonbon  box  was  taking  her  coffee  as  usual  in 
bed.  This  luxurious  habit  had  never  been  hers  until 
she  came  to  Bel- Air ;  but  it  was  her  mother's  custom, 
and  rather  than  undergo  a  tete-a-tete  breakfast  with 
her  host,  she  had  adopted  it. 

Now  she  made  her  toilet  deliberately.  There  was 
nothing  to  hurry  for.  Her  mother's  voice  came  in  de 
tached  sentences  and  questions  from  the  next  room. 

"  Dear  me,  this  rain  is  too  trying,  Eloise  !  Did  n't 
you  have  some  engagement  with  Dr.  Ballard  to-day  ?  " 

"  He  thought  he  could  get  off  for  some  golf  this 
afternoon." 

"  What  a  disappointment  for  the  dear  fellow,"  feel 
ingly.  "  He  has  so  little  time  to  himself  !  " 

Eloise  gave  a  most  unsympathetic  laugh.  "  More 
than  he  wishes  he  had,  I  fancy,"  she  returned. 

She  came  finally  in  her  white  negligee  into  her 
mother's  room.  Mrs.  Evringham  was  still  in  bed.  Her 
eyeglasses  were  on  and  she  regarded  her  daughter  criti- 


A   RAINY  MORNING  187 

cally  as  she  came  in  sight.  She  had  begun  to  look 
upon  her  as  mistress  of  the  fine  old  Ballard  place  on 
Mountain  Avenue,  and  the  setting  was  very  much  to 
her  mind.  The  girl  sauntered  over  to  the  window,  and 
taking  a  low  seat,  leaned  her  head  against  the  wood 
work,  embowered  in  the  lace  curtains. 

"  How  it  does  come  down !  "  said  Mrs.  Evringham 
fretfully.  "  And  I  lack  just  a  little  of  that  lace  braid, 
or  I  could  finish  your  yoke.  I  suppose  Forbes  would 
think  it  was  a  dreadful  thing  if  I  asked  her  to  let  Zeke 
get  it  for  me." 

"  Don't  ask  anything,"  returned  Eloise. 

"  When  you  are  in  your  own  home  !  "  sighed  Mrs. 
Evringham. 

"  Don't,  mother.     It 's  indecent !  " 

"  If  you  would  only  reassure  me,  my  child,  so  I 
would  n't  have  to  undergo  such  moments  of  anxiety  as 
I  do." 

"  Oh,  you  have  no  mercy  !  "  exclaimed  the  girl ;  and 
when  she  used  that  tone  her  mother  usually  became 
tearful.  She  did  now. 

"  You  act  as  if  you  were  n't  a  perfect  treasure,  Eloise 
—  as  if  I  did  n't  consider  you  a  treasure  for  a  prince  of 
the  realm !  " 

A  knock  at  the  door  heralded  Sarah's  arrival  for  the 
tray,  and  Mrs.  Evringham  hastily  wiped  her  eyes. 

"  Yes,  you  can  take  the  things,"  she  said  as  the 
maid  approached.  "  I  can't  tip  you  as  I  should,  Sarah. 
I  'm  going  to  get  you  something  pretty  the  next  time 
I  go  to  New  York." 

Sarah  had  heard  this  before. 

"  And  if  you  know  of  any  one  going  to  the  village 


188  JEWEL 

this  morning,  I  want  a  piece  of  lace  braid.  Have  you 
heard  how  Miss  Julia  is?" 

"  She  was  down  at  breakfast,  ma'am,  and  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham  had  her  out  to  the  stable  to  see  Essex  Maid." 

"  He  did  ?     In  the  rain  ?     How  very  imprudent !  " 

After  Sarah  had  departed  with  her  burden,  Mrs. 
Evringham  took  off  her  eyeglasses. 

"  There,  Eloise,  you  heard  that  ?  It 's  just  as  I 
thought.  He  is  taking  a  fancy  to  her." 

The  girl  smiled  without  turning  her  head.  "  Oh  no, 
that  was  n't  your  prophecy,  mother.  You  said  she  was 
too  plain  to  have  a  chance  with  our  fastidious  host." 

"  Well,  did  n't  she  look  forlorn  last  night  at  the  din 
ner  table  ?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Evringham,  a  challenge  in 
her  voice. 

"  Indeed  she  did,  the  poor  baby.  She  looked  ex 
actly  as  if  she  had  two  female  relatives  in  the  house, 
neither  of  whom  would  lift  a  finger  to  help  her,  even 
though  she  was  just  off  a  sick  bed.  The  same  relatives 
don't  know  this  minute  how  or  where  she  spent  the 
evening." 

"  I  felt  very  glad  she  was  content  somewhere  away 
from  the  drawing-room,"  returned  Mrs.  Evringham 
practically.  "  You  know  we  expected  Dr.  Ballard  up 
to  the  moment  the  roses  arrived,  and  from  all  I  gathered 
at  the  dinner  table,  it  would  have  been  awkward  enough 
for  him  to  walk  in  upon  that  child.  Besides,  I  don't 
see  why  you  use  that  tone  with  me.  It  has  been  your 
own  choice  to  let  her  paddle  her  own  canoe,  and  you  've 
had  an  object  lesson  now  that  I  hope  you  won't  forget. 
You  would  n't  believe  me  when  I  begged  you  to  exert 
yourself  for  your  grandfather,  and  now  you  see  even 


A   RAINY  MORNING  189 

that  plain  little  thing  could  get  on  with  him  just  be 
cause  she  dared  take  him  by  storm.  She  has  about 
everything  in  her  disfavor.  The  child  of  a  common 
working  woman,  with  no  beauty,  and  a  little  crank 
of  a  Christian  Scientist  into  the  bargain,  and  yet  now 
see  !  He  took  her  out  to  the  stable  to  see  Essex  Maid ! 
I  never  knew  you  contradictory  and  disagreeable  until 
lately,  Eloise.  You  even  act  like  a  stick  with  Dr. 
Ballard  just  to  be  perverse."  Mrs.  Evringham  flounced 
over  in  bed,  with  her  back  to  the  white  negligee. 

Eloise  had  seen  what  she  had  been  watching  for. 
Her  grandfather  had  driven  away  to  the  station,  so  she 
arose  and  came  over  to  the  foot  of  the  bed. 

"  I  know  I  'm  irritable,  mother,"  she  said  repentantly. 
"  The  idleness  and  uselessness  of  my  life  have  grated 
on  me  until  I  know  I  'm  not  fit  to  live  with.  If  I 
had  had  any  of  the  training  of  a  society  girl,  I  could 
bear  it  better ;  but  papa  kept  my  head  full  of  school, 
—  for  which  I  bless  him,  —  and  now  that  the  dream  of 
college  is  hopeless,  and  that  the  only  profession  you 
wish  for  me  is  marriage,  I  dread  to  wake  up  in  the 
mornings." 

The  young  voice  was  unsteady. 

Mrs.  Evringham  heaved  a  long  sigh.  "  Give  me 
patience  !  "  she  murmured,  then  added  mentally,  "  It 
can't  be  many  days,  and  she  won't  refuse  him." 

"  Go  down  to  the  piano  and  play  yourself  good- 
natured,"  she  returned.  "  Then  come  up  and  we  '11 
go  on  with  that  charming  story.  It  quite  refreshed 
me  to  read  of  that  coming-out  ball.  It  was  so  like 
my  own." 

Eloise,  her  lips  set  in  a  sad  curve,  rose  and  left  the 


190  JEWEL 

room.  Once  in  the  hall,  she  paused  for  a  minu 
Then  instead  of  descending  the  stairs,  she  ran  noiselesi 
up  the  next  flight.  The  rain  was  pelting  steadily 
the  dome  of  golden  glass  through  which  light  fell 
the  halls.  She  stole,  as  she  had  done  yesterday,  to  i 
door  of  Jewel's  room. 

Again  as  yesterday  she  heard  a  voice,  but  this  ti: 
it  was  singing.  The  tones  were  very  sweet,  surprising 
strong  and  firm  to  proceed  from  lips  which  always  spc 
so  gently.  The  door  was  not  quite  closed,  and  Elo 
pressed  her  ear  to  the  crack.  Thus  she  could  eas 
hear  the  words  of  Jewel's  song :  — 

"  And  o'er  earth's  troubled,  angry  sea 

I  see  Christ  walk ; 
And  come  to  me,  and  tenderly, 
Divinely,  talk." 

The  hymn  stopped  for  a  minute,  and  the  child  ; 
peared  to  be  conversing  with  some  one. 

Eloise  waited,  openly,  eagerly  listening,  hoping  1 
singer  would  resume.  Something  in  those  unexped 
words  in  the  sweet  child  voice  stirred  her.  Presen 
Jewel  sang  on  :  — 

"  From  tired  joy,  and  grief  afar, 

And  nearer  Thee, 

Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are 
I  love  to  be  !  " 

The  lump  that  rose  in  the  listener's  throat  forcet 
moisture  into  her  eyes. 

"  I  never  could  hear  a  child  sing  without  cryin< 
she  said  to  herself  in  excuse,  as  she  leaned  her  forehc 
on  her  hand  against  the  jamb  of  the  door  and  wait 
for  the  strange  stir  at  her  heart  to  quiet. 


WAITED  FOK  THE    STRANGE   STIR  AT   HER   HEART  TO  QUIET 


A  RAINY  MORNING  191 

The  house  was  still.     The  rain  swept  against  the 

panes,  and  tears  stole  from  under  the  girl's  long  lashes 

—  tears  for  her  empty,  vapid  life,  for  the  hopelessness  of 

the  future,  for  the  humiliations  of  the  present,  for  the 

lack  of  a  love  that  should  be  without  self-interest. 

"  I  like  that  verse,  Anna  Belle,"  said  the  voice 
within.  "  Let 's  sing  that  again,"  and  the  hymn 
welled  forth  :  — 

"  From  tired  joy  and  grief  afar, 

And  nearer  Thee, 

Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are 
I  love  to  be  !  " 

"  Is  there  a  haven  ?  "  thought  the  swelling,  listening 
heart  outside.  "  Is  there  a  place  far  alike  from  tired 
joy  and  grief?" 

"  *  Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are,'  "  quoted 
Jewel.  "  We  know  where  a  lot  of  them  are,  don't  we, 
Anna  Belle,  and  we  do  love  to  be  with  them."  A 
pause,  and  a  light  sigh,  which  did  not  reach  the  listener. 
"  But  we  're  at  grandpa's  now,"  finished  the  child's 
voice. 

Eloise's  breaths  came  long  and  deep  drawn,  and  she 
stood  motionless,  her  eyes  hidden. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   FIRST   LESSON 

JEWEL  looked  up  as  she  heard  a  knock.  Sarah  had 
made  the  bed  and  gone.  Who  could  this  be  ? 

At  her  "  Come  in,"  Eloise  entered  the  room.  The 
child's  face  brightened  questioningly.  She  rose  and 
gazed  at  the  enchanted  maiden,  very  lovely  in  the 
wrapper  of  white  silk,  open  at  the  throat,  and  with 
little  billows  of  lace  cascading  down  to  the  toes  of  her 
white  Turkish  slippers. 

"  Good-morning,  cousin  Eloise,"  said  the  child,  wait 
ing  for  the  message  or  order  which  she  supposed  to  be 
forthcoming. 

"  Good-morning."  The  girl  cast  a  comprehensive 
glance  around  the  rather  bare  room.  Her  eyes  bore 
no  traces  of  the  tears  so  recently  shed,  but  her  face  was 
sad.  "  I  heard  you  singing,"  she  said. 

"  Yes.  Did  I  disturb  anybody  ?  "  asked  the  child 
quickly. 

"No.  It  is  nice  to  be  like  the  birds  that  sing  in 
the  rain." 

"  Like  the  robin  out  there,"  returned  Jewel,  relieved. 
"  Did  you  hear  him  ?  "  She  ran  to  the  window  and 
threw  it  open,  listening  a  minute.  "  No,  he  has  gone." 

"  You  said  you  would  show  me  your  doll,"  went  on 
Eloise  when  the  window  was  closed  a^ain. 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  193 

"  Oh,"  returned  Jewel,  pleased,  "  did  you  come  to  see 
Anna  Belle  ?  She  's  right  here.  We  were  just  going 
to  have  the  lesson."  She  took  the  doll  from  the  depths 
of  a  big  chair  and  held  her  up  with  motherly  pride. 
"  Would  you  —  won't  you  sit  down  a  minute  ?" 

To  her  great  satisfaction,  her  beautiful  visitor  conde 
scended  to  take  the  chair  Anna  Belle  had  vacated,  and 
held  out  her  white,  ringless  hands  for  the  doll. 

"  How  neatly  her  clothes  are  made,"  said  the  girl, 
examining  Anna  Belle's  garments. 

"  Yes,  my  mother  made  her  all  new  ones  when  she 
knew  she  was  going  to  Europe,  so  that  she  would  be 
neat  and  not  mortify  me.  Would  you  like  to  see  her 
clothes  ?  "  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  I  should." 

Jewel  brought  them,  her  quick  little  fingers  turning 
them  back  and  forth,  exhibiting  the  tiny  buttonholes 
and  buttons,  and  chattering  explanations  of  their  good 
points. 

"  It  was  a  great  deal  for  your  mother  to  do  all  this, 
when  she  is  such  a  busy  woman,"  said  Eloise. 

"  Yes,  she  did  it  evenings,  and  then  surprised  me 
just  when  we  were  coming  away.  Was  n't  it  lovely  ?  " 

«  Very." 

Jewel  regarded  her  doll  fondly.  "  Don't  you  think 
she 's  pretty  ?  "  she  asked. 

«  Very." 

"  I  love  prettiness,"  said  the  child.  As  she  spoke 
she  regarded  the  grave  face  beside  her.  "  When  I 
first  noticed  that  my  nose  was  n't  nice,  and  neither 
were  my  eyes,  I  almost  cried." 

Eloise  looked  up  at  her,  at  a  loss  for  a  reply. 


194  JEWEL 

"  But  then  I  remembered  that  of  course  God  never 
made  anything  that  wasn't  perfectly  beautiful,  so  I 
knew  that  it  would  come  right  some  time,  and  I  asked 
mother  when  she  thought  it  would." 

"  What  did  she  say  ?  "  returned  Eloise,  wondering 
at  this  original  optimism. 

"  She  said  we  could  never  tell  how  soon  anything 
would  come  right  to  our  sense,  but  so  long  as  we  knew 
that  Creation  was  perfect  and  beautiful,  we  could  be 
patient  about  everything  —  big  things  and  little  things  ; 
and  then  I  remember  how  she  talked  to  me  about  being 
careful  never  to  pity  myself. '?  Jewel  gave  her  head  a 
little  serious  shake.  "  You  know  it 's  very  bad  error 
to  pity  yourself,  no  matter  what  kind  of  a  nose  you 
have." 

Eloise  had  sunk  back  in  the  large  chair  and  was  at 
tentively  watching  the  child  standing  beside  her,  while 
she  still  held  Anna  Belle.  She  had  never  before  held 
converse  with  a  Christian  Scientist,  but  her  state  of 
mind  precluded  the  perception  of  a  humorous  side  to 
anything. 

"  Wrong  to  pity  yourself  no  matter  what  happens?" 
she  asked. 

"Yes  —  because — because"  Jewel  looked  off. 
She  knew  that  it  was  error,  but  it  was  hard  to  ex 
plain  why  to  the  lovely  grown-up  cousin  who  was  so 
strangely  sorry.  "  Well,  you  see,"  she  added,  after 
the  moment's  thought,  "  it  is  n't  having  faith  in  God, 
it  is  n't  knowing  that  you  're  His  child,  and  that  He 
takes  care  of  you." 

"  No,  I  suppose  not ;  but  I  have  never  learned  how 
to  know  that,  Jewel." 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  195 

"I  know  you  have  n't,"  returned  the  little  girl,  and 
she  slipped  her  hand  toward  her  cousin's.  The  girl 
met  it  halfway  and  held  it  close.  "  Since  I  've  seen 
you,"  Jewel  went  on  slowly,  "I  know  that  prettiness 
is  n't  enough  to  make  a  person  happy  —  nor  all  your 
lovely  clothes  —  nor  having  people  fond  of  you  and 
sending  you  presents  —  nor  making  the  sweetest  music  ; 
but  you  can  be  happy,  cousin  Eloise,  unless  you  're 
doing  wrong." 

"  I  am  doing  wrong,  but  I  can't  help  it."  The  girl 
took  her  supporting  hand  from  the  doll  and  pressed  it 
to  her  eyes  a  second  before  dropping  it.  "  What  were 
you  doing  when  I  came  in  ?  "  . 

"  I  was  just  going  to  get  the  lesson." 

"  Oh,  do  you  go  on  with  your  studies  ?  Perhaps  I 
can  help  you  better  than  Anna  Belle." 

"Would  you,  cousin  Eloise?"  Jewel  flushed  with 
pleasure.  "  Some  of  the  words  are  so  long.  I  thought 
I  'd  ask  grandpa  to-night." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  wish  to  come  to  me  ?  "  questioned 
Eloise,  well  knowing  why. 

The  little  girl  looked  a  trifle  embarrassed.  "  I  did  n't 
want  to  trouble  you.  Of  course  you  are  n't  my  real 
relation,"  she  said  modestly. 

"  Do  you  remember  that,  too  !  "  exclaimed  Eloise. 

Jewel  started  at  the  hurt  voice.  "  Would  you  like 
to  be  ?  "  she  asked  earnestly.  "  I  wish  you  were,  be 
cause  "  —  she  hesitated  and  smiled  with  her  head  a 
little  on  the  side,  "  because  I  might  look  more  like 
you." 

The  gravity  of  Eloise's  lips  remained  unbroken.  "  I 
want  you  to  promise  me  something,  Jewel.  I  want  you 


196  JEWEL 

to  promise  not  to  tell  your  grandfather  that  I  have  been 
with  yon  to-day." 

"  Why  ?     He  'd  be  glad  I  was  happy." 

"  I  have  a  reason.  I  will  help  you  with  your  studies 
every  day  if  you  won't  tell  him." 

"  I  might  without  meaning  to,"  rejoined  the  child, 
her  alert  little  mind  busy  with  the  new  problem  sud 
denly  presented  to  it. 

"  I  will  make  a  rainbow  scarf  for  Anna  Belle  if  you 
will  never  speak  of  me  to  your  grandfather." 

"  Why  do  you  say  my  grandfather  ?  He  's  yours, 
too." 

"  Not  at  all.  Did  n't  you  just  say  I  was  not  your 
real  relation  ?  " 

"  Oh  but,  cousin  Eloise,"  Jewel  was  sure  of  the  hurt 
now,  though  the  why  or  wherefore  was  a  mystery,  "  of 
course  he  wishes  you  were." 

"  Oh  no  he  does  n't."  The  answer  came  quick  and 
sharp,  and  the  child  reviewed  mentally  her  own  obser 
vations  of  the  household.  Her  heart  swelled  with  the 
desire  to  help. 

"  Now,  cousin  Eloise,"  her  breath  came  a  little  faster 
with  the  thronging  thoughts  for  which  her  vocabulary 
was  insufficient,  "  error  does  try  to  cheat  people  so. 
Just  think  how  kind  you  were  inside  all  the  time, 
though  you  would  n't  smile  at  me.  You  're  willing  to 
make  Anna  Belle  a  scarf.  I  called  you  the  enchanted 
maiden,  because  yoii  were  too  sorry  to  try  to  make 
people  happy,  and  now  grandpa  's  just  like  that ;  he  's 
enchanted,  too,  if  he  does  n't  make  you  happy,  because 
he  's  just  as  kind  inside,  oh,  just  as  kind  as  he  can  be." 

"  He  likes  you,"  returned  Eloise. 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  197 

Jewel  regarded  her  for  a  silent  moment.  "  I  noticed 
when  I  came,"  she  said  at  last,  apologetically,  "  that 
nobody  here  seemed  to  love  one  another  ;  and  the  house 
was  so  grand  and  the  people  were  so  beautiful  that  I 
could  n't  understand ;  and  I  called  it  Castle  Discord." 

Eloise  gave  a  little  exclamation.  "  I  call  it  the  ice 
box,"  she  returned. 

Jewel's  face  lighted.  "  That 's  it,  that 's  all  it  is," 
she  said  eagerly.  "  It 's  easy  to  melt  ice.  Love  melts 
everything." 

"  It 's  pretty  slow  work  sometimes,"  said  Eloise. 

"  Then  you  have  to  put  on  more  love.  That 's  all. 
Have  you "  —  the  child  asked  the  question  a  little 
timidly,  "  have  you  put  on  much  love  to  grandpa  ?  " 

"  Why  should  I  love  him  ?  "  asked  Eloise.  "  He 
does  n't  love  me." 

"  Oh  dear,"  said  Jewel.  After  a  half  minute's 
thought  her  face  brightened.  "  I  guess  I  '11  show  you 
my  dotted  letter." 

She  ran  to  -the  closet  where  hung  her  dotted  challie 
dress  and  took  from  the  pocket  the  message  that  had 
come  to  her  the  evening  of  her  arrival.  "  My  mother 
put  a  letter  into  all  my  pockets  for  a  happy  surprise ; 
and  this  one  came  the  first  night,  when  I  was  feeling 
all  sorry  and  alone,  and  it  comforted  me.  Perhaps  it 
will  comfort  you." 

She  put  the  paper  into  the  girl's  hand,  and  Eloise 
read  it.  She  turned  it  over  and  read  it  a  second 
time. 

Jewel  stood  beside  her  chair  watching,  and  seeing 
that  her  cousin  seemed  interested,  she  ran  and  brought 
her  little  wrapper.  "  Perhaps  you  'd  like  to  see  this 


198  JEWEL 

one  too,"  she  said,  feeling  in  the  pocket  for  the  second 
message. 

Eloise  accepted  and  read  it.  Every  word  of  the  two 
notes  came  to  the  mind  of  the  young  girl  as  sugges 
tions  from  another  planet,  so  foreign  were  they  to  any 
instruction  or  advice  that  had  ever  fallen  to  her  lot. 

She  gave  a  slight  exclamation  as  she  finished.  "  Is 
your  mother  a  saint  ?  "  she  asked,  looking  up  suddenly. 

"  No,"  returned  Jewel  innocently.  "  She  's  a  Chris 
tian  Scientist." 

Eloise  suddenly  put  out  her  hand,  and  drawing 
Jewel  to  her,  hid  her  forehead  on  the  child's  breast. 

"  I  wish  you  were  older,"  she  said. 

Jewel  put  her  little  hands  on  the  shining  waves  of 
hair  she  had  admired  from  afar.  "  I  wish  my  mother 
was  here,"  she  answered.  "  Did  you  like  those  things 
mother  said  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  ;  but  they  're  from  heaven,  and  I  'm  in  the 
other  place,"  replied  Eloise  disconsolately. 

"  Then  let 's  look  in  another  pocket !  "  exclaimed 
Jewel.  "  1 11  look  in  my  best  dress.  Perhaps  she  'd 
put  the  best  one  there." 

The  girl  lifted  her  head,  and  the  child  went  eagerly 
to  the  closet,  coming  back  with  a  folded  paper.  "  We  '11 
read  it  together.  You  read  it  out  loud,  and  I  '11  look 
over  your  shoulder." 

The  rain  slanted  against  the  window  in  gusts  as  the 
two  heads  bent  above  the  paper.  Eloise  read :  — 

"  Mother  is  thinking  of  you,  little  daughter,  every 
day  and  every  night,  and  the  thing  she  hopes  the  most 
is,  that  you  never  let  the  day  go  by  without  studying 
the  lesson.  The  words  may  be  hard  sometimes,  but 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  199 

perhaps  some  one  will  read  it  with  you,  and  if  they  do 
not,  then  you  go  on  trying  your  best,  and  you  will  learn 
more  and  more  all  the  time ;  for  truth  will  shine  into 
your  thought  and  help  you.  Grandpa  will  give  you 
plenty  of  bread  and  butter,  but  you  must  remember 
that  Spirit,  not  matter,  satisfieth.  You  would  starve 
without  the  Bible  and  the  text-book,  and  very  soon 
the  joy  would  go  out  of  everything.  Give  my  love  to 
Anna  Belle,  and  tell  her  not  to  go  out  to  play  any  day 
until  you  have  read  the  lesson." 

"  Your  mother  speaks*  as  if  you  learned  Christian 
Science  out  of  the  Bible,"  said  Eloise. 

"  Of  course,"  returned  Jewel. 

"  I  thought  a  woman  got  it  up,"  said  the  girl.  "  I 
thought  your  church  worshiped  her." 

The  child  smiled  at  the  phrase.  "  You  know  Christ 
was  the  first  one.  That 's  why  we  call  ourselves  that. 
We  couldn't  be  Christian  Scientists  if  we  worshiped 
any  one  but  God,"  she  answered.  "  Of  course  we  love 
Mrs.  Eddy.  Just  think  how  good  and  unselfish  a 
person  has  to  be  before  they  can  hear  God's  teaching. 
He  showed  her  how  to  remind  people  of  the  things 
that  Christ  taught,  and  how  to  get  rid  of  their  sins 
and  sickness.  We  love  her  dearly  for  helping  people 
so  much,  and  should  n't  you  think  everybody  would  ? 
But  they  don't.  Some  people  think  hating  thoughts 
about  her,  just  as  if  she  was  teaching  bad  things 
instead  of  good  ones.  Mother  says  it  reminds  her  of 
what  the  Saviour  said,  '  For  which  of  these  works  do 
ye  stone  me  ? ' : 

"  Ah,  but  you  see,"  returned  Eloise,  "  Christian 
Scientists  let  people  die  sometimes  without  a  doctor." 


200  JEWEL 

"  But  lots  of  people  they  do  cure  are  the  ones  doctors 
said  would  have  to  die." 

"  I  know  they  claim  that." 

"  And  such  a  lot  of  people  pass  on  while  doctors  are 
taking  care  of  them  I  wonder  why  it  makes  everybody 
so  angry  when  a  Scientist  goes  without  any." 

Eloise  smiled  faintly  as  she  shook  her  head.  "  It  is 
more  respectable  to  die  with  a  doctor  at  your  side,"  she 
returned. 

"  Are  you  really  willing  to  help  me  with  the  lesson, 
cousin  Eloise  ?  If  you  are,  it  would  be  nice  if  you 
would  get  your  Bible  too." 

The  girl  looked  embarrassed.     "  I  have  n't  any." 

"  Well,  your  mother's  would  do  just  as  well,"  said 
Jewel  politely. 

"  She  has  n't  any  —  here,  I  'm  sure." 

The  little  girl  stood  very  still  a  moment.  "  No  won 
der  they  're  sorry,"  she  thought. 

"  All  right.  We  can  both  look  over  one,"  she 
answered,  and  going  to  the  dresser  she  brought  her 
books. 

"  Was  this  the  study  you  meant  ? "  asked  Eloise, 
looking  at  the  three  books  curiously.  "  I  thought  I 
was  offering  to  help  you  with  something  I  knew  about. 
I  used  to  learn  verses  out  of  the  Bible  when  I  was 
a  little  girl  in  Sunday-school.  I  don't  know  anything 
about  it  now." 

"  But  you  can  read  everything,  the  big  words  and 
all,"  replied  Jewel.  "  I  wish  I  could.  " 

Eloise  saw  that  this  reply  was  designed  to  minister 
to  her  self-respect.  She  took  up  the  small  black  book 
lying  with  the  Bible.  "  What  is  this  ?  " 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  201 

"  That  is  '  Science  and  Health,'  that  Mrs.  Eddy  wrote 
to  explain  to  us  what  the  Bible  means ;  and  this  other 
one  is  to  tell  us  where  to  pick  out  the  places  for  the 
day's  lesson.''  Jewel  pulled  up  a  chair,  and  seating 
herself,  turned  over  the  leaves  of  the  Quarterly  briskly 
until  she  found  the  right  date. 

"  Please  find  Zechariah,  cousin  Eloise." 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  asked  the  girl  helplessly. 

"  It 's  in  the  Old  Testament.  Would  you  rather  I  'd 
find  them  ?  All  right,  then  you  can  take  '  Science  and 
Health '  and  find  that  part." 

"  I  hope  it 's  easy,  for  I  'm  awfully  stupid,  Jewel." 

"  Oh,  it 's  very  easy.  You  '11  see."  The  child  found 
the  chapter  and  verse  in  the  Bible  and  read,  with  her 
finger  on  the  line.  Eloise  looked  over  and  read  with 
her.  Thus  they  went  through  all  the  verses  for  the 
day,  then  Jewel  began  to  give  the  page  and  line  to  be 
read  in  the  text-book. 

This  volume  was  small  and  agreeable  to  handle,  the 
India  paper  pleasant  to  the  girl's  dainty  touch.  Accord 
ing  to  the  child's  request,  she  read  aloud  the  lines  which 
were  called  for. 

"  That 's  all,"  said  Jewel  at  last.  "  Oh  cousin 
Eloise,  it 's  just  lovely  and  easy  to  get  the  lesson  with 
you,"  she  added  gratefully. 

Eloise  made  no  response.  Her  eye  had  been  caught 
by  a  statement  on  the  page  before  her,  and  she  read  on 
in  silence. 

Jewel  waited  a  minute  and  then,  seeing  that  her 
cousin  was  absorbed,  she  laid  down  the  Quarterly  and 
took  up  her  doll  and  sat  still,  watching  the  pretty  pro 
file,  undisturbed  by  doubts  as  to  what  her  cousin  might 


202  JEWEL 

think  of  the  book  she  held,  and  full  of  utter  confidence 
that  He  who  healeth  all  our  diseases  would  minister  to 
her  through  its  pages. 

At  last  Eloise  again  became  conscious  of  her  sur 
roundings.  She  turned  to  her  companion,  a  skeptical 
comment  on  her  lips,  but  she  suppressed  the  words  at 
sight  of  the  innocent,  expectant  face.  She  certainly 
had  nothing  to  give  this  child  better  than  what  she 
already  possessed. 

"  You  can  read  it  any  time  when  you  feel  sorry, 
cousin  Eloise,  that  and  my  Bible  too.  Mother  always 
does." 

"  Does  she  ever  feel  sorry  ?  " 

"  Sometimes  ;  but  it  can't  last  where  the  Bible  is." 

"  I  never  saw  that  the  Bible  had  anything  to  do  with 
us,"  said  Eloise. 

"  Why — ee !  "  Jewel  suddenly  dropped  Anna  Belle 
and  again  took  up  the  Bible. 

"  What  do  you  think  I  opened  to  ? "  holding  the 
verse  with  her  finger  as  she  looked  up.  Then  she  read, 
" '  If  ye  love  them  that  love  you  what  thank  have 
ye  ? '  Now  is  n't  that  something  to  do  with  you  and 
grandpa?" 

"  I  don't  see  how  I  can  love  people  who  don't  choose 
to  be  lovable,"  returned  Eloise.  "  What 's  the  use  of 
pretending  ?  " 

"But  then,"  said  the  child,  "the  trouble  is  that 
everything  that  is  n't  love  is  hate." 

Her  visitor  raised  her  eyebrows.  "  Ah !  I  should 
have  to  think  about  that,"  she  returned. 

"  Yes,  you  'd  better,"  agreed  Jewel.  Then  she  turned 
to  the  Psalms  and  read  the  ninety-first. 


THE  FIRST  LESSON  203 

When  she  had  finished  she  looked  up  at  her  cousin, 
an  earnest  questioning  in  her  eyes. 

"  That  is  very  beautiful,"  said  Eloise.  "  I  never 
heard  it  before.  How  well  you  read  it,  Jewel." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  child.  "  It 's  so  much  easier  to 
read  things  when  you  know  them  by  heart."  Then  she 
turned  to  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  and  read  it. 

"  Yes,  I  've  heard  that  one.  It 's  beautiful  of  course, 
but  I  never  thought  of  its  having  anything  to  do  with 
us."  Eloise  was  watching  her  cousin  curiously.  It 
seemed  too  strange  for  belief  that  a  healthy  child  of 
her  age  should  be  taking  a  vital  interest  in  the  Bible 
and  endeavoring  to  prove  a  position  from  its  pages. 

When  the  girl  finally  rose  to  go  she  turned  at  the 
door :  — 

"  Remember  your  promise  not  to  tell  grandfather 
about  this  morning,"  she  said. 

Jewel,  hovering  about  her,  looked  troubled. 

"  Would  you  just  as  lief  tell  me  why  ?  "  she  asked. 

Eloise  gave  the  ghost  of  a  smile.  "  It  would  be  a 
long  story,  and  I  scarcely  think  you  could  understand." 

"  I  think  I  could  obey  you  better  if  you  would  tell 
me." 

"  Very  well.  We,  my  mother  and  I,  are  not  Mr. 
Evringham's  real  relations,  —  to  put  it  as  you  do,  — 
and  we  have  come  here  because  my  poor  father  lost  his 
money  and  we  have  nowhere  else  to  go.  We  came 
without  being  invited,  and  it  hurts  to  have  to  stay 
where  we  are  not  wanted.  I  don't  wish  grandfather  to 
think  that  I  am  being  kind  to  you,  for  fear  he  will  be 
lieve  that  I  am  doing  it  to  make  him  like  me  better 
and  because  I  want  to  stay  here." 


204  JEWEL 

The  girl  spoke  slowly  and  with  great  clearness. 

Jewel  looked  at  her,  speechless  with  surprise  and 
perplexity. 

Eloise  went  on :  "I  don't  want  to  stay  here,  yon 
understand.  I  wish  to  go  away.  I  would  go  to-day  if 
my  mother  were  willing." 

Her  large  eyes  grew  dark  as  she  closed,  and  the 
child  received  a  sense  of  the  turbidence  that  underlay 
her  words. 

"  Thank  you  for  explaining,"  she  returned  in  an  awed 
tone.  "  I  wish  my  mother  was  here  ;  but  God  is,  and 
He  '11  take  care  of  you,  cousin  Eloise.  Mother  says  we 
don't  ever  need  to  stay  in  the  shadow.  There  's  always 
the  sunshine,  only  we  must  do  our  part,  we  must  move 
into  it." 

"  How,  Jewel  ?     Supposing  you  don't  know  how." 

"You  can  learn  how,"  replied  the  child  earnestly, 
"  right  in  those  books.  Lots  of  sorry  people  grow  glad 
studying  them." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

JEWEL'S  CORRESPONDENCE 

WHILE  Jewel  still  stood  turning  over  in  her  mind  what 
she  had  heard,  charming  strains  of  music  began  coming 
up  through  the  hall.  Cousin  Eloise  had  gone  to  the 
piano. 

"  I  almost  wish  I  had  n't  made  her  tell  me,"  thought 
the  child,  "  for  how  can  I  help  grandpa  not  to  be  sorry 
they  are  here  ?  Would  n't  I  be  sorry  to  have  aunt 
Madge  come  and  live  with  me  when  I  never  asked 
her  to  ?  "  She  stood  for  some  minutes  wrestling  with 
the  problem,  but  suddenly  her  expression  changed. 
"  I  was  forgetting  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  must  n't  get 
sorry  too.  God  is  All.  Mortal  mind  can't  do  any 
thing  about  it."  She  closed  her  eyes,  and  pressing  her 
hand  to  her  lips,  stood  for  a  minute  in  mute  realization ; 
then  with  a  smile  of  relief,  she  took  up  Anna  Belle. 

"  Let 's  go  down,  dearie,  and  hear  the  music,"  she 
said  light  heartedly. 

When  the  summons  to  luncheon  sounded  and  Mrs. 
Evringham  entered  the  parlor,  she  found  the  child 
curled  up  in  a  big  chair,  her  doll  in  her  lap,  listening 
absorbedly  to  the  last  strains  of  a  Chopin  Ballade. 

"Do  you  like  music,  Julia?"  she  asked  patroni// 
ingly,  as  her  daughter  finished  and  turned  about. 

"  The  child's  name  is  Jewel,"  said  Eloise. 


206  JEWEL 

"  Yes,  aunt  Madge,  I  love  it,"  replied  the  little  girl ; 
"  and  I  did  n't  know  people  could  play  the  piano  the 
way  cousin  Eloise  does." 

Mrs.  Evringham  smiled.  "  I  suppose  you  've  not 
heard  much  good  music." 

"  Yes'm,  I  Ve  heard  our  organist  in  church." 

"  And  Jewel  can  make  good  music  herself,"  said 
Eloise.  "  She  can  sing  like  a  little  lark.  I  've  been 
up  in  her  room  this  morning."  . 

Mrs.  Evringham  welcomed  the  look  on  her  daugh 
ter's  face  as  she  made  the  statement.  "  Thank  fortune 
Eloise  has  played  herself  into  good  humor,"  she  thought. 

"  Indeed  ?  I  must  hear  her  sing  some  time.  You  're 
playing  unusually  well  this  morning,  my  dear.  I  wish 
Dr.  Ballard  could  have  heard  you.  Come  to  luncheon." 

The  three  repaired  to  the  dining-room,  where  Mrs. 
Forbes's  glance  immediately  noted  the  presence  of 
Anna  Belle.  She  took  her  from  Jewel's  arms  and 
placed  her  on  a  remote  corner  of  the  sideboard,  in  the 
middle  of  which  glowed  the  American  Beauty  roses. 

Mrs.  Evringham  approached  them  with  solicitude. 

"  They  're  looking  finely,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  she  said 
suavely.  "  You  surely  understand  the  care  of  roses." 
She  lifted  the  silver  scissors  that  hung  from  her  chate 
laine  and  succeeded  in  severing  one  of  the  long  stems. 

"  Here,  little  girl,"  she  added,  advancing  to  Eloise, 
"  you  need  this  in  your  white  gown  to  cheer  us  up 
this  rainy  day." 

The  girl  shrank  and  opened  her  lips  to  decline,  but 
restrained  herself  and  submitted  to  have  the  flower 
pinned  amid  her  laces. 

Jewel  gazed  at  her  in  open  admiration.     The  glow- 


JEWEL'S  CORRESPONDENCE  207 

ing  color  lent  a  wonderful  touch  to  the  girl's  beauty. 
Mrs.  Evringham  laughed  low  at  the  fascinated  look  in 
the  plain  little  face,  and  luncheon  began. 

To  Jewel  it  differed  much  from  the  ones  that  had 
preceded  it.  Mrs.  Forbes  might  hover  like  a  large 
black  cloud,  aunt  Madge  might  rail  at  the  weather 
which  cut  her  off  from  her  afternoon  drive,  but  the 
morning's  experience  seemed  to  have  put  the  child  into 
new  relations  with  all,  and  Eloise  often  gave  her  a 
friendly  glance  or  smile  as  the  meal  progressed. 

It  was  destined  to  a  surprising  interruption.  In  the 
midst  of  the  discussion  of  lamb  chops  and  Saratoga 
chips  the  door  opened,  and  in  walked  Dr.  Ballard. 
The  shoulders  of  his  becoming  raincoat  were  spangled 
with  drops,  his  hat  was  in  his  hand,  a  deprecatory  smile 
brightened  his  face. 

"  Forgive  me,  won't  you  ?  "  he  said  as  he  advanced 
to  Mrs.  Evringham  and  clasped  the  outstretched  hand 
which  eagerly  welcomed  him.  "  It  was  my  one  leisure 
half  hour  to-day." 

He  brought  the  freshness  of  the  spring  air  with  him, 
and  he  went  on  around  the  table  shaking  hands  with 
the  others,  and  finally  drew  up  a  chair  beside  Jewel. 

"  No,  I  can't  eat  anything,"  he  declared  in  response 
to  the  urging  of  Mrs.  Evringham  and  the  housekeeper. 
"  Can't  stay  long  enough  for  that." 

His  eyes  fastened  on  the  graceful  girl  opposite  him, 
who  was  trying  to  offset  her  blushes  by  a  direct  and 
nonchalant  gaze.  The  rose  on  her  breast  seemed  to  be 
scorching  her  cheeks.  She  knew  that  her  mother  was 
exulting  in  the  lucky  inspiration  which  had  made  hei 
set  it  there. 


208  JEWEL 

"  How  good  of  you  to  come  and  cheer  us !  "  ex 
claimed  Mrs.  Evringham.  "  Do  take  off  your  coat  and 
stay  for  a  cosy  hourl  We  will  have  some  music." 

"  Don't  tempt  me.  I  have  an  office  hour  awaiting 
me.  I  came  principally  to  see  this  little  girl." 

Jewel  had  leaned  back  in  her  chair  and  was  watch 
ing  his  bright  face  expectantly. 

"  I  'm  glad  of  it,"  rejoined  Mrs.  Evringham  devoutly. 
"  I  distrust  these  sudden  recoveries,  Dr.  Ballard.  Do 
make  very  sure  that  she  has  n't  one  of  those  lingering, 
treacherous  fevers.  I  've  heard  of  such  things." 

Dr.  Ballard's  eyes  laughed  into  those  of  his  little 
neighbor.  "  She  does  n't  look  the  part,"  he  returned. 

Jewel  gave  a  glance  around  the  table.  "  Will  you 
excuse  me  ?  "  she  said  politely,  then  she  reached  up  to 
the  doctor's  ear. 

"  Shall  I  go  and  get  my  money  ?  "  she  whispered. 

He  shook  his  head.  "  No,"  he  replied  in  a  low 
tone.  "  I  came  to  thank  you  very  much  for  your  note, 
and  to  tell  you  that  you  don't  owe  me  anything.  I  'm 
not  usually  a  '  no  cure,  no  pay  '  doctor.  I  take  the 
money  anyway,  but  this  time  I  'm  going  to  make  an 
exception." 

"Why?"  asked  Jewel,  speaking  aloud  as  long  as 
he  did. 

"  Well,  you  see,  you  did  n't  take  the  medicine. 
That  makes  a  difference.  Most  people  take  it." 

"  Ye — es,"  rejoined  Jewel  rather  doubtfully.  She 
was  not  sure  of  this  logic. 

"  So  now  we  're  perfectly  square,"  went  on  the 
doctor,  "but  don't  you  fall  ill  again."  He  shook  his 
head  at  her.  "  I  want  us  to  remain  friends." 


JEWEL'S  CORRESPONDENCE  209 

"  We'd  always  be  friends,  would  n't  we?"  returned 
Jewel,  smiling  into  his  laughing  eyes. 

"  When  is  our  golf  coming  off,  Miss  Eloise  ?  "  he 
asked,  looking  across  the  table  again. 

"  When  the  weather  permits,"  she  responded  gra 
ciously. 

"  I  guess  that 's  going  to  be  all  right,"  commented 
Mrs.  Forbes  mentally.  "  She  's  as  pretty  as  a  painting 
with  that  rose  on,  and  her  mother  looks  as  contented 
as  a  cat  with  her  paw  on  a  mouse.  She  don't  mean 
to  play  with  that  mouse,  either.  She  won't  run  any 
risks.  She  '11  take  it  right  in.  You  're  pretty  near 
done  for,  my  young  feller,  and  your  eyes  look  willing, 
I  must  say." 

The  spring  rain  proved  to  be  a  protracted  storm. 
Mr.  Evringham  made  his  hours  long  in  the  city.  Eloise 
came  up  to  Jewel's  room  each  morning  and  read  the 
lesson  with  her,  always  reading  on  to  herself  after  it 
was  finished.  She  made  the  child  tell  her  of  the  cir 
cumstances  of  her  recent  illness  and  cure,  and  listened 
to  Jewel's  affectionate  comments  on  Dr.  Ballard's  kind 
ness  with  an  inscrutable  expression  which  did  not  sat 
isfy  the  child. 

"  You  love  him,  don't  you  ?  "  asked  the  little  girl. 

Eloise  gave  a  slight  smile.  "  If  everything  that  is  n't 
love  is  hate,  I  suppose  I  ought  to,"  she  returned. 

"  Yes  indeed,"  agreed  Jewel ;  "  and  he  has  been  so 
kind  to  you  I  don't  see  how  you  can  help  it." 

The  girl  sighed.  "  Don't  grow  up,  Jewel,"  she  said, 
"  It  makes  lots  of  trouble." 

On  the  second  one  of  her  visits  to  the  child's  room 
she  put  her  hand  on  the  flaxen  head.  "  I  'd  like  to  fix 


210  JEWEL 

your  hair,"  she  said.  "  Mrs.  Forbes  does  n't  part  it 
nicely." 

"  I  do  it  myself,"  returned  Jewel ;  "  but  I  'd  be  glad 
to  have  you." 

So  Eloise  washed  the  thick  flaxen  locks  and  dried 
them.  Then  she  parted  and  brushed  the  hair,  and 
when  it  was  finally  tied,  Jewel  regarded  the  reflection 
of  her  smooth  head  with  satisfaction. 

"  It  looks  just  the  way  mother  makes  it,"  she  said. 
"  I  'm  going  to  write  to  mother  and  father  to-night,  and 
I  'm  going  to  tell  them  how  kind  you  are  to  me." 

That  evening,  in  Mr.  Evringham's  library,  Jewel 
wrote  the  letter. 

Her  grandfather,  after  making  some  extremely  un 
complimentary  comments  upon  the  weather,  had  lowered 
his  green-shaded  electric  light  and  established  himself 
beneath  it  with  his  book. 

He  looked  across  at  the  child,  who  was  situated  as 
before  at  the  table,  her  crossed  feet,  in  their  spring- 
heeled  shoes,  dangling  beneath. 

"  May  I  smoke,  Jewel  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  took  a 
cigar  from  the  case.  He  asked  the  question  humor 
ously,  but  the  reply  was  serious. 

"  Oh  yes,  grandpa,  of  course ;  this  is  your  room  ; 
but  you  know  nobody  likes  tobacco  naturally  except  a 
worm." 

Mr.  Evringham's  deep-set  eyes  widened.  "  Is  it 
possible  ?  Well,  we  're  all  worms." 

Jewel  smiled  fondly  at  him,  her  head  a  little  on  one 
side,  in  its  characteristic  attitude. 

"  You  're  such  a  joker,"  she  returned. 

"  If  you  really  dislike  smoke,"  said  the  broker  after 


JEWEL'S   CORRESPONDENCE  211 

a  minute,  "  perhaps  you  'd  better  take  your  letter  up  to 
your  room." 

"  I  don't  mind  it,"  she  returned.  "  Father  used  to 
smoke.  It 's  only  a  little  while  since  it  gave  him  up." 

"  You  mean  since  he  gave  it  up." 

"  No.  When  people  study  Christian  Science,  the 
error  habits  that  they  have  just  go  away." 

"  Indeed  ?  I  'm  glad  you  warned  me."  Mr.  Ev- 
ringham  blew  a  delicate  ring  of  smoke  toward  the 
table,  but  Jewel  had  begun  to  think  of  her  parents,  and 
her  pencil  was  moving.  Her  grandfather  noted  the 
trim  appearance  of  the  bowed  head. 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  was  cut  out  for  a  man  milliner 
after  all,"  he  mused  complacently.  "  Those  bows  have 
really  a  very  chic  appearance." 

His  book  interested  him,  and  he  soon  became  ab 
sorbed  in  its  pages.  Jewel  occasionally  coming  to  an 
orthographic  problem  looked  up  and  waited,  but  he 
did  not  observe  her,  so  she  patiently  kept  silence  and 
resumed  her  work.  At  last  the  letter  was  finished. 

She  looked  again  at  her  grandfather,  and  opened  her 
cramped  little  hand  with  relief.  The  back  of  her  neck 
was  tired  with  her  bending  posture.  She  leaned  back 
in  the  heavy  chair  to  rest  it  while  she  waited.  The 
eyelids,  grown  heavy  with  her  labors,  wavered  and 
winked.  The  rain  dripped  down  the  panes,  as  if  it 
had  fallen  into  a  monotonous  habit.  The  sound  was 
soothing.  Jewel  fell  asleep. 

When  finally  Mr.  Evringham  glanced  at  her  he 
smiled.  "  Little  thoroughbred,"  he  mused  ;  "  she  'd 
never  disturb  me."  He  rose  and  crossed  to  the  child. 
There  lay  the  finished  letter.  He  took  it  up  with  some 
anticipation  :  — 


212  JEWEL 

DEAR  MOTHER  AND  FATHER  —  It  is  most  time  to 
get  a  leter  from  you  but  I  will  not  wait  to  tell  you 
I  am  happy  and  well. 

grandpa  is  the  kindest  man  and  he  has  the  most  Beuti- 
f  ul  horse,  her  name  is  Essecks  made.  He  let  me  sit  on 
her  back  and  give  her  Sugar.  Cosin  Elloees  is  the 
prettiest  one  of  all.  she  has  things  that  make  her  sorry 
but  she  is  verry  kind  to  me.  She  washed  my  hare  to 
day  and  she  helps  me  get  the  lesson.  There  is  a  docter 
here  he  is  lovly.  He  tried  to  cure  me  when  I  had  a 
claim  but  mrs.  Lewis  did.  Cosin  Elloees  reads  S.  and 
H  when  we  get  throo  the  lesson  and  I  think  she  will 
be  glad  Pretty  soon  and  not  afrade  Grandpa  dosn't 
want  her  and  Ant  maj.  She  wont  let  me  tell  grandpa 
she  is  kind  to  me,  but  I  can  Explane  beter  when  you 
cum  home. 

Grandpa's  kindness  is  inside,  and  he  Looks  sorry  but 
noboddy  cood  help  loving  him.  I  love  you  both  every 
minnit  and  the  leters  in  my  pocket  help  me  so  much. 

Your  dear 

JEWEL. 

Mr.  Evringham  had  scarcely  finished  reading  this 
epistle  when  Jewel's  head  slipped  on  the  polished  wood 
work  against  which  she  was  leaning  and  bumped  against 
the  side  of  the  chair  with  a  jar  which  awoke  her. 

Seeing  her  grandfather  standing  near  she  smiled 
drowsily.  "  I  fell  asleep,  did  n't  I  ? "  she  said,  and 
rubbed  her  eyes ;  then  noting  the  sheet  of  paper  in  Mr. 
Evringham's  hand,  memory  returned  to  her.  She  sat 
up  with  a  start. 

"  Oh  grandpa,   you  have  n't  read  my  letter !  "   she 


JEWEL'S   CORRESPONDENCE  213 

exclaimed,  with  an  accent  of  dismay  which  brought  the 
blood  to  the  broker's  face.  He  felt  a  culprit  before 
the  shocked  blue  eyes. 

"  To  —  to  see  if  it  was  spelled  right,  you  know,"  he 
said.  "You  had  me  do  it  before." 

"  Yes,  I  wanted  you  to  then,"  returned  the  child ; 
"  but  it  is  error  to  read  people's  letters  unless  they  ask 
you  to,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it 's  confoundedly  bad  form,  Jewel.  I  beg 
your  pardon.  You  did  n't  mean  me  to  see  those  sweet 
things  you  said  about  me,  eh  ?  " 

"  That  was  no  matter.  It  was  cousin  Eloise's  secret. 
She  trusted  me."  The  child's  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

The  broker  cleared  his  throat.  "  No  harm  done,  I  'm 
sure.  No  harm  done,"  he  returned  brusquely,  to  cover 
his  discomfiture.  For  the  first  time  he  made  an  ad 
vance  toward  his  granddaughter.  "  Come  here  a  min 
ute,  Jewel."  He  took  her  hand  and  led  her  to  his  chair, 
and  seating  himself,  lifted  her  into  his  lap.  The  cor 
ners  of  her  lips  were  drawing  down  involuntarily,  and 
as  her  head  fell  against  his  broad 'shoulder,  he  took 
out  his  handkerchief  and  dried  her  eyes.  "  I  hope 
you  '11  forgive  me,"  he  said.  "  After  this  I  will  always 
wait  for  your  permission.  Now  what  is  this  about 
cousin  Eloise  ?  " 

Jewel  shook  her  head,  not  trusting  herself  to  speak. 

"  You  can't  teU  me  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Then  don't  you  think  perhaps  it  was  a  good  thing 
.  read  your  letter  after  all,  if  it  is  something  I  ought 
to  know  ?  " 

The  speaker  was  not  so  interested  to  discover  the 


214  JEWEL 

secrets  of  his  beautiful  guest  as  to  set  himself  right 
with  this  admirer.  He  did  not  relish  falling  from  his 
pedestal. 

"  Do  you  think  perhaps  Divine  Love  made  you  do 
it,  grandpa? "  asked  the  child  tremulously,  with  return 
ing  hope. 

Mr.  Evringham  was  quite  certain  that  it  had  been 
curiosity,  but  he  was  willing  to  accept  a  higher  sound 
ing  hypothesis. 

"  Mother  explained  to  me  about  God  making  '  the 
wrath  of  man  to  praise  Him,' "  added  Jewel  after 
the  moment's  pause.  "  If  it  makes  you  kind  to  cousin 
Eloise,  perhaps  we  can  be  glad  you  read  it." 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  Eloise  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Evringham. 

Jewel  sat  up,  fixed  him  with  her  eyes,  pressed  her  lips 
together,  and  shook  her  head. 

"You  won't  tell  me?" 

The  head  went  on  firmly  shaking. 

"  Then  let  me  read  the  letter  again." 

"  No.  grandpa,"  decidedly. 

He  kept  one  arm  around  her  as  he  smoothed  his 
mustache.  "  Is  there  something  you  think  I  ought  to 
do?" 

A  light  seemed  to  illumine  the  eyes  that  the  little 
girl  kept  fixed  on  his,  but  she  did  not  speak. 

"  Do  you  think  it  discourteous  for  me  to  spend  my 
evenings  away  from  those  two  ?  They  don't  want  me, 
child." 

Still  she  did  not  speak.  Mr.  Evringham  was  divided 
between  a  desire  to  shake  her  and  the  wish  to  see  the 
familiar  fondness  return  to  her  face. 


JEWEL'S   CORRESPONDENCE  215 

"  You  wrote  that  Eloise  thinks  I  do  not  want  her 
and  her  mother  here.  Her  intelligence  is  of  a  higher 
order  than  I  feared.  Well,  what  can  be  done  about  it  ? 
I've  been  asking  myself  that  for  some  time.  How 
would  it  do  to  settle  some  money  upon  them  and  then 
say  good-by  ?  " 

"  If  you  did  it  with  love,"  suggested  Jewel. 

"  It 's  my  impression  that  they  could  dispense  with 
the  love  under  those  circumstances."  The  broker  gave 
a  slight  smile. 

The  child  put  an  impulsive  little  hand  on  his  shoulder. 
"No  indeed,  grandpa.  Nobody  can  do  without  love. 
It  hurts  cousin  Eloise  because  she  is  n't  your  real  re 
lation.  She  does  n't  know  how  kind  you  are  inside." 
The  child's  lips  closed  suddenly. 

"  She  fixed  your  hair  very  nicely."  Mr.  Evringham 
viewed  the  flaxen  head  critically.  "  That 's  one  thing  in 
her  favor." 

"  She  's  full  of  things  in  her  favor,"  returned  Jewel 
warmly.  "  Error  's  using  you,  grandpa,  not  to  love  her. 
If  we  don't  love  people  we  can't  be  sure  anything  we 
do  to  them  is  right." 

Mr.  Evringham  raised  one  hand  and  scratched  his 
head  slowly,  regarding  Jewel  with  what  she  felt  was 
intended  to  be  a  humorous  air. 

"  Could  n't  you  give  me  an  easier  one  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh  grandpa,"  the  flaxen  head  nestled  against  his 
breast  and  the  child  sighed.  "  I  wish  everybody  knew 
how  kind  you  are,"  and  the  broker  patted  her  shoulder 
and  enjoyed  the  clinging  pressure  of  her  cheek,  for  it 
assured  him  that  again  he  stood  firmly  on  the  pedestal. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ESSEX   MAID 

THE  rain  and  wind  lasted  for  three  days,  clearing  at 
last  on  an  evening  which  proved  eventful. 

Mr.  Evringham  had  taken  a  long  ride  into  the 
country  roundabout,  and  Jewel  had  been  down  at  the 
gate  to  greet  his  return.  He  swung  her  up  into  the  sad 
dle  with  him,  and  in  triumph  she  rode  to  the  barn. 

Mrs.  Evringham  observed  this  from  the  window  and 
reported  to  Eloise. 

"  I  did  n't  suppose  father  would  be  so  indulgent  to 
any  living  thing  as  he  is  to  that  child,"  she  said  rather 
dejectedly.  "  Do  you  know,  Eloise,  Mrs.  Forbes  says 
that  Jewel  spends  every  evening  with  him  in  his  study." 

"  Indeed  ?  I  'm  not  surprised.  He  had  to  take  pity 
on  her  since  we  would  not." 

Mrs.  Evringham  sighed.  "  I  really  believe  nobody 
was  ever  so  exasperating  as  you  are,"  she  returned. 
"  When  Jewel  first  came,  if  you  remember,  I  wished 
to  welcome  her,  —  in  fact  I  did,  —  but  you  refused  to 
be  decently  civil.  Now  you  speak  as  if  we  had  made 
a  mistake,  and  that  it  was  my  fault.  I  wish  you  would 
let  Dr.  Ballard  prescribe  for  you.  I  don't  think  you 
are  well." 

"  He  does  prescribe  roses  and  chocolates,  and  I  take 
them,  don't  I  ?  " 


ESSEX  MAID  217 

"  Yes,  and  after  this  you  can  have  some  golf.  It 
will  do  you  good." 

To-day  was  the  third  during  which  Eloise  had  helped 
her  cousin  with  the  morning  lesson  and  brushed  and 
braided  her  hair.  Jewel  had  had  many  minds  about 
whether  to  tell  Eloise  of  her  escaped  secret.  An  in 
tuition  bade  her  refrain,  but  the  sense  of  dishonesty 
was  more  than  the  child  could  bear ;  so  that  morning, 
during  the  hair  braiding,  she  had  confessed.  She  began 
thus : — 

"  I  wrote  to  my  father  and  mother  last  night  how 
good  you  were  to  me." 

"  Did  you  tell  them  how  good  you  were  to  me  ? " 
asked  the  girl,  so  kindly  that  the  child's  heart  leaped 
within  her  and  she  more  than  ever  wished  that  she  had 
nothing  to  confess. 

"  I  wish  I  could  be,  cousin  Eloise  ;  I  meant  to  be, 
but  error  crept  in."  The  girl  was  learning  something 
of  the  new  phraseology,  and  she  smiled  at  Jewel  in  the 
glass  and  was  surprised  to  find  what  troubled  eyes  met 
hers.  "  I  went  to  sleep  that  night  waiting  for  grandpa 
to  be  through  with  his  book,  and  when  I  waked  up  he 
had  read  my  letter." 

Eloise 's  smile  faded.  "  Tell  me  again  what  you  said 
in  it,"  she  returned. 

Jewel's  lips  quivered.  "  I  said  how  kind  you  were, 
and  washed  my  hair,  and  asked  me  not  to  tell 
grandpa  " 

"  You  put  that  in  ?  "  Eloise  interrupted  eagerly. 

The  child  took  courage  from  her  changed  tone. 
"  Yes  ;  I  said  you  did  n't  want  him  to  know  you  were 
kind  to  me." 


218  JEWEL 

The  girl  smiled  slightly  and  went  on  with  her  brush 
ing. 

"He  wished  he  hadn't  read  it  when  he  saw  how 
sorry  I  was.  He  asked  my  pardon  and  said  he  had 
done  bad  form.  I  don't  know  what  that  is." 

"  It 's  the  worst  thing  that  can  happen  to  some  peo 
ple,"  returned  Eloise.  "  Good  form  is  said  to  be  the 
New  York  conscience." 

"  Oh,"  responded  Jewel,  not  understanding,  but  too 
relieved  and  grateful  that  her  cousin  was  not  unforgiv 
ing  to  press  the  matter. 

Eloise  fell  into  thought.  Mr.  Evringham  had  cer 
tainly  been  more  genial  at  table,  conversation  had  been 
more  general  and  sustained  last  evening  than  ever  be 
fore  the  advent  of  Jewel,  and  he  had  not  sneered, 
either.  Eloise  searched  her  memory  for  some  word  or 
look  that  might  have  given  hurt  to  her  self-esteem,  but 
she  could  find  none. 

On  this  evening  Mr.  Evringham  was  in  unusual 
spirits  at  dinner  time.  He  told  of  the  pleasure  of 
Essex  Maid  at  finding  herself  free  of  the  stable  again, 
and  of  the  gallop  he  had  taken  among  the  hills. 

The  meat  course  had  just  been  removed  when  Sarah 
came  in  with  a  troubled  face,  saying  that  Zeke  wanted 
to  see  Mr.  Evringham.  Something  was  the  matter 
with  Essex  Maid.  She  seemed  "  very  bad." 

The  master's  face  changed,  and  he  moved  back  from 
the  table.  The  countenances  of  the  others  showed  con 
sternation.  Mrs.  Forbes  turned  pale.  Had  Zeke  done 
anything,  or  left  something  undone  ?  She  dropped  her 
tray  and  hastened  after  Mr.  Evringham.  Eloise  no 
ticed  that  Jewel's  eyes  were  closed.  In  a  minute  the 


ESSEX  MAID  219 

child  pushed  back  from  the  table,  and  without  a  word 
to  the  others  she  hurried  to  the  scene  of  trouble.  She 
met  Mrs.  Forbes  rushing  to  the  kitchen  for  hot  water. 

"  Go  straight  into  the  house,  Jewel,"  cried  the  house 
keeper  with  an  anger  born  of  her  excitement.  "  Don't 
you  go  near  that  barn  and  get  in  the  way." 

The  child,  scarcely  hearing  her,  fled  on.  As  she 
entered  the  barn  she  heard  her  grandfather's  voice  ad 
dressing  Zeke,  who  was  flinging  a  saddle  on  Dick. 

"  Dr.  Busby  '11  leave  anything  when  he  knows  it 's 
the  Maid."  He  did  n't  need  to  say  "  hurry."  Zeke 
was  as  anxious  as  his  master  to  get  the  veterinary 
surgeon. 

Essex  Maid  had  fallen  in  her  stall  and  was  making 
her  misery  apparent,  tossing  her  head  and  rolling  her 
eyes.  Her  master's  teeth  were  set. 

"  Grandpa,  may  I  try  to  help  ?  "  came  Jewel's  eager 
voice. 

"  Go  away,  child,"  sternly.     "  You  '11  get  hurt." 

"  But  may  I  treat  her  ?  " 

"  Do  anything,  "  brusquely ;  "  but  don't  come  near." 

Jewel  ran  to  the  back  of  the  barn,  dropped  on  the 
floor,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands. 

Five  minutes  passed,  ten,  fifteen.  Zeke  rode  up  to 
the  barn  door,  white  and  wild-eyed  in  the  twilight. 

"  Dr.  Busby  was  away !  "  he  gasped.  "  They  tried 
to  get  him  on  the  telephone,  and  at  last  did.  He  '11 
be  here  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  The  Maid 's  better,"  said  Mr.  Evringham,  wiping 
his  forehead.  "  There  has  n't  been  a  repetition  of  the 
attack."  Mrs.  Forbes  stood  by,  fanning  herself  with 
her  apron.  The  mare  was  standing  quietly. 


220  JEWEL 

"  Great  Scott,  but  I  'm  glad !  "  replied  Zeke  devoutly. 
"  I  Ve  seen  'em  keel  up  with  that.  You  can  go  through 
me  with  a  fine  tooth  comb,  Mr.  Evringham,  and  you 
won't  find  a  thing  I  've  neglected  for  that  mare."  Ex 
citement  had  placed  the  young  fellow  beyond  his  awe 
for  the  master. 

"  I  believe  you,  boy,"  returned  the  broker.  In  his 
relief  he  would  have  believed  anything. 

"  See  the  poor  kid,"  said  Zeke,  catching  sight  of  the 
little  figure  sitting  out  of  earshot,  where  the  twilight 
touched  her. 

Mr.  Evringham  wheeled  and  strode  back  to  the 
child.  Her  face  was  still  hidden. 

"Don't  cry,  Jewel,"  he  said  kindly,  his  voice  un 
steady.  "  She 's  better." 

The  child  looked  up  radiantly.     "  I  knew  it !  " 

The  unexpected  look  and  exclamation  startled  her 
grandfather.  "  Zeke  says  the  doctor  can't  get  here  for 
a  little  while,"  he  went  on,  "  but  the  mare  is  out  of 
pain." 

"  It 's  all  right,"  rejoined  the  child  joyously.  "  The 
doctor  ought  not  to  come.  We  shall  do  better  without 
him." 

The  first  gleam  of  her  meaning  began  to  shine  across 
the  broker's  mind.  He  stared  down  at  the  little  figure, 
uncertain  whether  to  laugh  or  cry,  sufficiently  shaken 
to  do  either. 

"  Why,  you  midget  you,"  he  said,  picking  the  child 
up  in  his  arms ;  "  have  you  been  trying  your  tricks 
over  here  in  the  corner?  " 

"  That  is  n't  the  way  to  talk,  grandpa,  when  God 
has  helped  us  so,"  returned  Jewel  earnestly. 


BURIED    HKK   FACK   IN    HEK   HANDS 


ESSEX  MAID  221 

Zeke,  following  his  employer,  had  heard  this  colloquy, 
and  stared  open  mouthed. 

When  Dr.  Busby  arrived  he  was  a  much  injured 
man.  "  The  mare 's  perfectly  fit,"  he  grumbled. 
"  You  've  made  me  leave  an  important  case." 

"  Very  sorry,"  returned  Mr.  Evringham,  trying  to 
look  so.  "  The  fact  is  the  Maid  has  given  us  a  scare 
in  the  last  hour  that  I  should  n't  like  repeated.  Look 
her  over  carefully,  Busby,  carefully." 

"  I  have."  The  veterinary  gave  a  cross  look  around 
the  group,  his  glance  resting  a  moment  on  the  upturned 
face  of  a  little  flaxen-haired  girl  who  stood  with  her 
hand  in  Mr.  Evringham's. 

"  He 's  falling  into  his  dotage,  I  guess,"  said  the 
doctor  privately  to  Zeke,  as  he  prepared  to  ride  away. 

"  Don't  fool  yourself,"  returned  the  young  fellow. 
"  The  mare  pretty  near  scared  me  into  a  fit.  My  knees 
ain't  real  steady  yet." 

He  stood  watching  the  disappearing  figure  of  the 
veterinary.  "  That  kid  believes  praying  did  it,"  he 
mused.  "  I  ain't  going  to  believe  that,  of  course,  but 
the  whole  thing  was  the  queerest  ever." 

Mr.  Evringham,  after  one  more  visit  to  the  stall  of 
Essex  Maid,  started  back  to  the  house,  Jewel  skipping 
beside  him. 

Mrs.  Forbes  remained  in  the  barn,  one  hand  still 
pressed  to  her  ample  bosom,  a  teakettle  in  the  other. 

"  "What 'd  you  calc'late  to  do,  ma?"  inquired  her 
son,  approaching  her. 

"  Wring  out  hot  flannels.  It 's  sense  to  treat  colic 
the  same,  whether  it 's  in  a  horse  or  a  baby." 

Zeke  laughed.  "  Essex  Maid  did  n't  think  so,  did 
she?" 


222  JEWEL 

"  Would  n't  let  us  do  a  thing.  I  saw  the  tears  drip 
out  of  Mr.  Evringham's  eyes  plain  as  I  see  you  now. 
Zeke  Forbes,  you  '11  never  know  what  it  was  to  me  to 
have  you  come  in  and  speak  up  the  way  you  did.  You 
could  n't  have  done  it  if  you  'd  mistreated  the  horse 
any  way." 

"  Thank  you,"  returned  the  coachman  emphatically. 
"  I  ain't  monkeying  with  buzz  saws  this  year." 

"  Not  knowingly  you  would  n't.  But,  child,"  -  —  Mrs. 
Forbes  set  down  the  kettle  and  pressed  the  other  hand 
tighter  to  her  bosom  as  she  came  closer  to  him,  "  last 
night  you  'd  been  drinking  when  you  came  home." 

"  Ho  !  "  laughed  Zeke  uncomfortably,  "  just  a  smile 
or  two  with  the  boys.  By  ginger,  you  've  got  a  nose 
on  you,  mother." 

*'  Can  you  think  of  your  father  and  then  laugh  over 
it,  Zeke  ?  There  has  n't  a  man  ever  come  to  be  a  sot 
that  did  n't  laugh  about  it  in  the  first  place." 

"  Now,  mother,  now,  now,"  said  the  young  fellow  in 
half-impatient  tones  of  consolation,  as  he  took  the  hand 
kerchief  from  her  apron  pocket  and  wiped  her  eyes, 
where  tears  began  to  spring.  "  You  must  trust  a  chap 
to  do  what 's  right.  I  ain't  a  fool.  Don't  you  think 
about  this  again.  I  can  take  care  of  myself.  Come 
now,  to  change  the  subject,  what 's  your  opinion  of 
Christian  Science  as  applied  to  horses  with  the  colic?  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  returned  the  housekeeper 
in  an  unusually  subdued  tone. 

"  Why,  did  n't  you  catch  on  ?  The  kid  was  over 
there  in  the  corner  treating  the  Maid.  That 's  what 
they  call  it,  treating  'em.  Mr.  Evringham  laughed 
when  he  found  out,  and  she  jumped  on  him.  Yes,  she 


ESSEX  MAID  223 

did  ;  came  right  out  and  told  him  that  was  n't  the  way 
to  show  his  gratitude,  or  something  like  that.  Think 
of  the  nerve  !  " 

"  I  ain't  surprised.  That  child  can/t  surprise  me." 
"  But  what  do  you  think  of  it,  ma  ?  I  tell  you  't  was 
queer,  the  way  that  mare's  pain  stopped.  Of  course  I 
ain't  going  to  believe —  but,"  firmly,  "  I  can't  get  away 
from  a  notion  that  those  Christian  Science  folks  know 
something  that  we  don't.  Busby  was  madder  'n  a  hor 
net.  I  did  n't  scarcely  know  what  to  say  to  him." 

"  Don't  be  soft,  Zeke,"  returned  his  mother,  picking 
up  the  kettle.  "  The  time  for  superstition  has  gone 

by." 

As  Jewel  and  her  grandfather  entered  the  house  they 
heard  music. 

"  That 's  cousin  Eloise  playing.  Have  you  heard 
her,  grandpa  ?  " 

"  Yes,  when  they  first  came." 

"  Then  you  have  n't  sat  with  them  in  the  evening 
for  a  long  time?  "  suggested  the  child. 

"  No.  I  —  I  did  n't  wish  to  monopolize  their  society. 
I  wanted  to  give  Dr.  Ballard  a  chance.  He  is  a  friend 
of  theirs,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  but  I  think  cousin  Eloise  would  be  glad  if  she 
thought  you  liked  her  playing.  It's  very  beautiful,, 
is  n't  it,  grandpa  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  dare  say.  Then,  besides,  I  'm  not  at  all  sure 
that  Mrs.  Evringham  would  permit  me  to  smoke  in  {he 
drawing-room. " 

"  But  would  n't  it  be  nice  to  go  in  there  just  a  few 
minutes  before  you  go  to  your  study?  I  love  to  hear 
cousin  Eloise  play,  but  I  like  to  be  with  you,  grandpa." 


224  JEWEL 

Mr.  Evringham  was  in  a  yielding  state  of  mind.  He 
allowed  the  pressure  of  the  child's  hand  on  his  to  load 
him  to  the  drawing-room,  where  his  entrance  made  a 
little  stir. 

Dr.  Ballard  was  sitting  near  the  piano,  listening  to 
the  music.  Everybody  rose  as  the  newcomers  entered. 

"  How  are  you,  Ballard  ?  Jewel  wished  to  hear 
her  cousin's  music,  and  so  behold  us.  If  we  bring  a 
reminder  of  the  stable,  blame  her." 

"  Oh  father,  that  dear  horse  is  all  right,  I  'm  sure," 
gushed  Mrs.  Evringham,  "  or  else  you  would  n't  be 
here  !  " 

"  What  ?  Something  the  matter  with  Essex  Maid  ?  " 
asked  Dr.  Ballard  with  concern. 

"  Yes."  Mr.  Evringham  seated  himself.  "  A  sharp 
attack,  but  short.  She  was  relieved  before  we  could  get 
Busby  here."  The  speaker  contracted  his  eyebrows  and 
looked  at  the  child,  who  was  still  beside  him.  "  The 
mare  had  received  mental  treatment  meanwhile,"  he 
added  gravely. 

Dr.  Ballard  smiled,  and  drawing  Jewel  to  him,  lifted 
her  upon  his  knee.  "  Look  here,"  he  said,  "  can't  you 
let  anything  around  here  be  sick  in  peace?  We  doc 
tors  shall  have  to  form  a  union  and  manage  to  get  you 
boycotted." 

The  child  smiled  back  at  him,  her  head  a  little  on  one 
side,  as  her  manner  was  when  she  was  in  doubt  how  to 
respond. 

"  What  a  blessing ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Evringham 
vivaciously.  "  Here,  father,  is  the  best  cup  of  coffee 
you  ever  drank,  if  I  did  make  it  myself." 

Many  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  broker  had  ac- 


ESSEX  MAID  225 

cepted  a  cup  of  coffee  from  that  fair  hand,  but  he  rose 
now  to  take  it  with  a  good  grace. 

"Is  there  going  to  be  some  cambric  tea  for  this 
baby?"  inquired  Dr.  Ballard. 

"  You  must  be  hungry,  Jewel ;  you  had  n't  finished 
your  dinner,"  said  her  grandfather,  but  she  protested 
that  she  was  not. 

"  How  is  Anna  Belle  ?  "  asked  Dr.  Ballard.  "  It 's 
a  long  time  since  I  saw  her." 

"  Would  you  like  to  ?  "  asked  Jewel  doubtfully. 

"  Why  —  of  —  course  !  —  if  she  's  still  up.  Don't 
have  her  dress  on  my  account." 

"  She  does  n't  go  to  bed  till  I  do,"  responded  the 
child.  "  I  know  she  'd  love  to  come  down !  "  In  a 
flash  she  had  bounded  to  the  door  and  disappeared. 

Eloise  was  still  sitting  on  the  piano  stool,  facing  the 
room.  "  Grandfather,"  she  said,  leaning  slightly  for 
ward  in  her  earnestness,  "  did  Jewel  really  treat  Essex 
Maid?" 

The  broker  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  smiled  as  he 
stirred  his  coffee. 

"  I  believe  she  did." 

"  And  do  you  think  it  did  the  horse  any  good  ?  " 

"  Don't  be  absurd !  "  cried  her  mother  laughingly, 
on  nettles  lest  the  girl  displease  the  young  doctor. 

"  Don't  crowd  me,  Eloise,  don't  crowd  me,"  responded 
Mr.  Evringham.  "  I  'd  rather  have  something  a  little 
more  substantial  doing  for  a  sick  horse  than  the  pray 
ers  of  an  infant ;  eh,  Ballard?" 

"  I  've  been  reading  Jewel's  Christian  Science  book 
a  great  deal  the  last  few  days,"  said  Eloise.  "  If  it 's 
the  truth,  then  she  helped  Essex  Maid." 


226  JEWEL 

Mrs.  Evringham  was  dismayed.  "  What  a  very 
large  if,  ray  dear,"  she  returned  lightly. 

"  She 's  a  bright  little  girl,"  said  Dr.  Ballard,  and  as 
he  spoke  Jewel  came  back. 

She  brought  her  doll  straight  to  him,  and  he  took 
both  child  and  doll  on  his  lap. 

"  Dear  fellow,"  thought  Mrs.  Evringham,  "  how  fond 
he  is  of  children !  I  'd  like  to  put  Eloise  in  a  strait- 
jacket.  Do  play  some  more,  dear,  won't  you?"  she 
said  aloud,  eager  to  return  to  safe  ground. 

"  Oh  yes,  cousin  Eloise,"  added  Jewel  ardently. 

"  If  you  will  sing  afterward.  Will  you  ?  "  asked  the 
girl. 

"  Can  you  sing,  Jewel  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Evringham. 

"  No,  grandpa,  nothing  but  the  tunes  in  church." 

"  Well,"  he  responded,  half  smiling  again,  "  I  don't 
know  that  a  hymn  would  be  so  out  of  place  to-night." 

"  Do  play  the  lovely  running  thing  about  spring, 
cousin  Eloise,"  begged  the  child. 

The  girl  turned  back  to  the  piano.  "  Jewel  is  so 
modern  that  she  does  n't  know  the  Mendelssohn  '  Spring 
Song,'  "  she  said,  and  forthwith  she  began  it. 

Jewel's  head  lay  back  against  Dr.  Ballard' s  shoulder, 
and  her  eyes  never  swerved  from  the  white-robed 
musician. 

When  the  player  had  finished  and  been  thanked,  the 
child  and  the  doctor  exchanged  a  look  of  appreciation. 
"  That  sounds  the  way  it  does  in  the  Ilavine  of  Happi 
ness,"  said  Jewel. 

"  Where  is  that  ?  " 

"  Where  the  brook  is." 

"  Oh  !  "     Dr.   Ballard  had  unpleasant   associations 


ESSEX  MAID  227 

with  the  brook.  "  I  understand  you  are  fond  of 
horses,"  he  added  irrelevantly. 

"  Oh  yes." 

"Do  you  want  to  go  driving  with  me  to-morrow 
morning?" 

Jewel's  face  grew  radiant. 

"  Oh  yes  !  "     She  looked  across  at  her  grandfather. 

" 1  promised  to  take  you  driving,  did  n't  I,  Jewel  ? 
Well,  the  pleasant  weather  has  come.  I  guess  she  '11 
go  with  me  to-morrow,  Ballard." 

"  Guess  again,  Mr.  Evringham,"  retorted  the  doctor 
gayly.  "  She  has  accepted  my  invitation." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  on  and  wondered.  "  What 
is  it  about  that  child  that  takes  them  all  ?  "  she  solilo 
quized.  "  She  reminds  me  of  that  dreadfully  plain 
Madam  what  's-her-name,  who  was  so  fascinating  to 
everybody  at  the  French  court." 

Eloise  was  smiling.  "  Now  it 's  your  turn,  Jewel," 
she  said. 

The  child  looked  from  one  to  another.  "  I  never 
sang  for  anybody,"  she  returned  doubtfully. 

"  Yes  indeed,  for  Anna  Belle.  I  've  heard  you," 
said  Eloise. 

"  Oh,  she  was  singing  with  me." 

"  Very  well.     Let  her  sing  with  you  now." 

"  What  one  ?  " 

"  The  one  I  heard,  —  '  Father,  where  Thine  own  chil 
dren  are  I  love  to  be.'  ' 

"  Oh,  you  mean  '  O'er  waiting  harpstrings.'  All 
right,"  and  the  child,  sitting  where  she  was,  sang  the 
well-loved  hymn  to  a  touched  audience. 

"  Upon  my  word,  Jewel,"  said  her  grandfather  when 


228  JEWEL 

she  had  finished.  "  Your  music  is  n't  all  in  your  soul." 
His  eyes  were  glistening. 

"  Those  are  beautiful  words,"  said  Dr.  Ballard.  "  I 
don't  remember  any  such  hymn." 

"  Mrs.  Eddy  wrote  it,"  returned  the  child. 

"  It  was  n't  Castle  Discord  to-night,"  she  said  later 
to  Anna  Belle,  while  they  were  going  to  bed.  "  Did  n't 
you  notice  how  much  differently  people  loved  one 
another?" 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A    MORNING    DRIVE 

u  I  DECLARE,  Eloise,"  said  Mrs.  Evringham  the  next 
morning,  "  it  is  almost  worth  three  whole  days  of  storm 
to  have  a  spell  of  such  heavenly  weather  to  follow. 
We  're  sure  of  several  days  like  this  now."  She  was 
standing  at  the  open  window,  having  shown  a  surpris 
ing  energy  in  rising  soon  after  breakfast. 

She  glanced  over  her  shoulder  at  her  daughter,  who 
was  picking  up  the  garments  strewn  about  the  room. 
"  Now  you  can  live  out  of  doors,  I  hope,  and  get  your 
self  toned  up  again.  Really,  last  evening  things  were 
very  comfortable,  were  n't  they  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  thought  the  lump  had  begun  to  be  leav 
ened,"  returned  the  girl. 

"  Talk  English,  please,"  said  her  mother  vivaciously. 
"  Father  seemed  quite  human,  and  that  is  all  we  have 
ever  needed  to  make  things  tolerable  here.  I  suppose 
we  reaped  the  benefit  of  his  relief  about  the  horse." 

"It's  all  Jewel,"  said  Eloise,  smiling.  "That's 
English,  is  n't  it?" 

"  Jewel !  "  Mrs.  Evringham  exclaimed.  "  Why, 
you  're  all  daffy  about  that  child.  What  is  the  at 
traction  ?  " 

"  That 's  what  I  'm  trying  to  find  out.  It 's  time  for 
me  to  go  up  now  and  braid  her  hair  and  read  the  lesson." 


230  JEWEL 

Mrs.  Evringliam  regarded  her  daughter.  "Young 
people  are  eager  for  novelty,  I  know,"  she  said,  "and 
it  would  seem  as  if  an  interest  in  a  child  was  an  inno 
cent  diversion  for  you  at  a  time  when  you  were  growing 
morbid,  but  I  do  think  I  'm  the  most  unlucky  woman 
in  the  world  !  To  think  that  the  child  should  have  to 
be  a  Christian  Scientist,  and  that  you  should  take  this 
perverse  interest  in  her  ideas  just  now.  I  have  n't 
spoken  of  your  remarks  about  the  horse  last  night,  but 
it  was  in  poor  taste,  to  say  the  least,  to  mention  such 
nonsense  before  Dr.  Ballard,  and  apparently  do  it  so 
seriously.  I  knew  you  had  been  helping  Jewel  with 
lessons,  but  until  last  evening  I  did  n't  suspect  that  it 
might  all  be  on  that  odious  subject.  Is  it,  Eloise  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  it  is  n't  odious.   I  like  the  fruit  of  it  in  her." 

"  You  've  never  shown  Dr.  Ballard  your  most  agreeable 
side,  and  now  if  you  're  going  to  parade  before  him,  an 
Episcopalian  and  a  physician,  an  interest  in  this  — 
anarchism,  I  shan't  blame  him  in  the  smallest  degree 
if  he  gives  up  all  thought  of  you." 

Eloise,  the  undemonstrative,  put  an  arm  around  her 
mother.  "  Shan't  you,  really  ?  "  she  replied  wistfully. 
"  If  I  could  only  hope  that." 

"  Do  you  want  to  give  me  nervous  prostration  ?  "  re 
joined  Mrs.  Evringham  sharply.  "  Eloise,"  her  voice 
suddenly  breaking,  "  do  you  love  to  torment  me  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  don't,  poor  mother,  but  I  've  been  so  tor 
mented  myself,  and  so  desirous  not  to  —  oh,  not  to  do 
anything  ignoble !  I  can't  tell  you  all  I  've  endured 
since  "  She  paused,  her  lips  unsteady. 

"  Since  we  lost  your  father,"  dismally.  "  Yes,  I 
know  it.  I  'm  the  most  unlucky  woman  in  the  world  !  " 


A  MORNING  DRIVE  231 

Eloise's  arm  tightened  about  her  mother  as  she  went 
on,  "  Since  I  was  enchanted  and  thrown  into  Castle 
Discord."  She  looked  off  at  the  mental  picture  of  her 
cousin.  "  Mother,"  she  turned  back  suddenly,  "  what 
a  wonderful  thing  it  is  if  there  really  is  a  God." 

"  Why,  Eloise  Evringham,  have  you  ever  doubted 
it !  That 's  positively  ill-bred  !  " 

"  But  One  that  would  be  any  good  to  us !  Jewel's 
mother  thinks  she  knows  such  a  One,  and  so  does  the 
child.  I  wish  you'd  look  into  this  Christian  Science 
with  me.  You  might  find  it  better  than  getting  grand 
father  to  pay  our  bills,  better  than  marrying  me  to  Dr. 
Ballard." 

Mrs.  Evringham  raised  her  eyes  to  her  deity. 
"  What  have  I  ever  done,"  she  ejaculated,  "  that  I 
should  have  a  queer  child !  Well,  I  will  not  look  into 
it,"  she  returned  decidedly ;  "  and  if  Dr.  Ballard  were 
not  the  broad,  noble  type  of  man  that  he  is,  he  would  n't 
take  the  trouble  to  notice  and  entertain  a  child  who  has 
treated  him  as  she  has.  It  might  touch  even  you  to  see 
the  lengths  to  which  he  goes  to  plea.se  you.  I  hope 
you  will  at  least  have  the  grace  to  go  down  with  Jewel 
to  the  buggy  and  see  them  off." 

"  I  could  n't  in  this  wrapper,"  replied  Eloise,  releas 
ing  the  speaker. 

"  Of  course  not,  so  put  on  a  dress  before  you  go  up 
to  Jewel." 

"  It 's  too  late,  dear.  lie  '11  be  here  by  half-past  ten. 
I  must  have  her  ready." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  after  her  daughter's  retreat 
ing  figure,  and  then  her  lips  came  together  firmly. 
She  untied  the  ribbons  of  the  loose  gown  of  lace  and 


232  JEWEL 

silk,  in  which  she  keyed  herself  up  by  degrees  to  face 
the  requirements  of  luncheon  and  the  afternoon's  diver 
sions,  and  donned  a  conventional  dress,  in  which  she 
composed  herself  by  the  window  to  watch  for  the  doc 
tor's  buggy.  There  was  a  vista  in  the  park  avenue 
which  afforded  a  fair  look  at  equipages  three  minutes 
before  they  could  reach  Mr.  Evringham's  gateway. 

From  the  moment  the  doctor's  office  hour  was  over 
this  stanch  supporter  set  herself  to  watch  that  gap.  As 
soon  as  she  saw  Hector's  dappled  coat  and  easy  stride 
she  sprang  up  and  went  downstairs,  and  when  the  shin 
ing  buggy  paused  at  the  steps  and  Dr.  Ballard  jumped 
out,  she  appeared  on  the  piazza  to  greet  him. 

"  What  an  inspiring  morning ! "  she  said,  as  he 
removed  his  hat.  "  That  insane  girl !  "  she  thought. 
"  If  he  had  chanced  to  be  awkward  and  plain,  he  would 
have  been  just  as  important  to  us.  His  good  looks  are 
thrown  in,  and  yet  she  won't  behave  herself." 

"  Glorious  indeed  !  "  he  replied  heartily.  "  Where  's 
my  young  lady?  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  had  plenty  of  worldly  experience, 
and  not  even  her  enemies  called  her  stupid,  but  at  this 
moment  there  was  but  one  young  lady  in  the  world  to 
her,  as  she  believed  there  was  to  him. 

"  She  is  upstairs  braiding  Jewel's  hair,"  she  replied 
before  she  realized  her  own  inanity.  Then  she  has 
tened  on,  coloring  under  the  odd  look  in  his  eyes, 
"  But  you  meant  Jewel,  of  course.  She  will  be  down 
at  once,  I  'in  sure.  It 's  so  kind  of  you  to  take  her/' 

"  Not  at  all.     She  's  an  original  worth  cultivating." 

Mrs.  Evringham  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I  sup 
pose  she  must  be,  since  you  all  say  so.  Eloise  gives  up 


A   MORNING  DRIVE  233 

a  surprising  amount  of  time  to  her,  but  I  can't  judge 
much  from  that,  because  Eloise  is  always  so  unselfish. 
For  my  part,  the  child's  ideas  are  so  strange,  and  my 
little  girl  is  still  so  young  and  impressionable,  I  object 
to  having  them  much  together.  It  may  seem  very 
absurd,  when  Jewel  is  so  young." 

"  No  ;  I  saw  last  evening  how  interested  Miss  Eloise 
already  is." 

"  Oh,"  hastily,  "  she  pretends  to  be,  and  I  assure 
you  I  object.  Eloise  has  a  good  mind,  and  I  hope  you 
will  offer  a  little  antidote  now  and  then  to  the  stuff  she 
has  begun  to  read.  A  word  to  the  wise,  Dr.  Ballard. 
I  need  say  no  more." 

It  was  true.  Mrs.  Evringham  had  no  need  to  say 
more.  Her  ideas,  and  especially  those  which  related  to 
himself,  had  always  been  inscribed  in  large  characters 
and  words  of  one  syllable  for  her  present  companion, 
who  was  a  young  man  of  considerable  perception  and 
discrimination. 

He  had  not  time  to  reply  before  Jewel,  radiant  of 
face,  appeared  in  the  doorway,  where  she  hesitated,  her 
doll  in  her  arms. 

"  I  brought  Anna  Belle,"  she  said  doubtfully,  "  but 
I  can  leave  her  under  the  stairs  if  there  is  n't  room." 

"  Anna  Belle  under  the  stairs  on  a  morning  like 
this !  And  in  such  a  toilet  ?  Talk  about  error  !  " 
The  doctor's  tone  was  tragic  as  he  lifted  the  happy 
child  into  the  buggy. 

Mrs.  Evringham  nodded  a  reply  to  their  smiling 
farewells  as  Hector  sprang  forward,  and  she  looked 
after  them  in  some  perplexity. 

"  Why  should  he  take  the  trouble  ?  "  she  reflected. 


234  JEWEL 

"  It  would  have  been  such  a  splendid  morning  for  them 
to  have  gone  riding  if  he  had  this  leisure.  Of  course 
it  must  have  been  just  one  of  his  indirect  and  lovely 
ways  of  trying  to  please  Eloise." 

Just  as  she  was  solacing  herself  with  the  latter  reflec 
tion,  her  daughter  stepped  out  on  the  piazza,  a  little 
black  book  in  her  hand. 

"  Warm  enough  to  sit  out,  is  n't  it  ?  "  she  remarked. 

Her  mother  looked  at  her  critically.  She  had  not 
seen  this  care-free  look  on  her  child's  face  since  Law 
rence  died. 

"  Why  did  n't  you  come  out  a  little  sooner  ?  " 

"  I  was  n't  presentable.     How  delicious  the  air  is  !  " 

"  Yes.     Let  us  sit  here  and  finish  that  novel." 

"  All  right." 

"  What  have  you  there  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Eddy's  book,  — '  Science  and  Health.'  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  made  a  grimace.  "  I  read  part  of 
it  once.  That  was  enough  for  me.  Think  of  the  price 
they  charge  for  it,  too.  Think  of  pretending  it  is  such 
a  good  thing  for  everybody  to  have,  and  then  putting 
a  price  on  it  that  prohibits  the  average  pocketbook." 
Eloise's  smile  annoyed  her  mother.  "  Were  n't  you 
with  me  that  day  Nat  Bonnell's  mother  said  so  much 
about  it?" 

"  How  foolish  she  was  not  to  try  it,"  said  Eloise. 
"  Such  a  hopeless,  monotonous  invalid." 

"  Well,  some  of  her  friends  worked  hard  enough  to 
induce  her  to,  but  when  she  found  out  the  mercenary 
side  of  it,  she  saw  at  once  it  couldn't  be  trustworthy." 

"  I  suppose  even  Christian  Scientists  must  have  a 
roof  and  food  and  clothes,"  returned  Eloise  coolly ;  "  but 


A   MORNING  DRIVE  235 

I  've  thought  a  good  deal  the  last  few  days  about  the 
criticisms  I  've  heard  on  the  price  of  the  book.  The 
fuss  over  that  three  dollars  is  certainly  very  funny, 
when  the  average  pocketbook  goes  to  the  theatre  some 
times,  has  flowers  for  its  entertainments,  and  rejoices 
to  find  lace  reduced  from  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  to 
ninety-five  cents  a  yard  for  its  gowns.  It  eagerly 
hoards  and  spends  three  dollars  for  some  passing  plea 
sure  or  effect,  but  winces  and  ponders  over  paying  the 
same  sum  for  a  book  which  will  last  a  lifetime,  and 
which,  if  it  is  worth  anything,  furnishes  the  key  to  every 
problem  in  life." 

"  But  why  is  n't  it  as  cheap  as  the  Bible  if  it  is  so 
beneficial  ?  " 

"  It  will  be,  probably,  when  it  is  generally  respected. 
For  the  present  it  would  n't  be  wise  to  cast  it  about 
like  pearls  before  swine."  Eloise  smiled  at  herself. 
"  You  see  I  'm  talking  as  if  I  knew  it  all.  My  wis 
dom  comes  partially  from  what  I  have  extracted  from 
Jewel,  and  partly  from  what  is  obvious.  I  have  n't 
reached  the  place  yet  where  I  am  convinced,  but  this 
book  is  wonderfully  interesting.  It  came  to  me  in  the 
darkest  hour  I  have  ever  known,  and  it  has  —  it  has 
seemed  to  feed  me  when  I  was  starving.  I  don't  know 
how  else  to  put  it.  I  can't  think  of  anything  else. 
Mother,  why  have  n't  we  a  Bible?  I  was  ashamed 
when  Jewel  asked  me." 

Mrs.  Evringham,  astonished  and  dismayed  by  her 
daughter's  earnestness,  drew  herself  up.  "  We  have 
a  Bible,  certainly.  What  an  idea  !  " 

"  Where  is  it  ?  "  eagerly. 

"  In  the  storage  warehouse  with  the  other  books.," 


236  JEWEL 

Eloise's  laugh  nettled  her  mother. 

"  The  prayer  books  are  upstairs  on  my  table.  What 
more  do  you  want  if  you  are  going  to  take  an  interest 
in  such  things  ?  I  wish  you  would,  dear,  and  embroider 
an  altar  cloth  while  you  are  here.  I  'm  sure  father 
would  gladly  contribute  the  materials  and  feel  a  pride 
in  it." 

"Oh  mother,"  Eloise  still  smiled,  "you  know  he 
never  goes  to  church." 

"  But  he  contributes  largely." 

"  Well,  I  have  n't  time  to  embroider  altar  cloths. 
ShaU  I  get  the  story  ?  " 

"  Yes,  do.  We  '11  go  around  the  corner,  out  of  the 
wind." 

Meanwhile  Dr.  Ballard's  buggy  was  covering  the 
ground  rapidly.  Through  the  avenues  of  the  park  sped 
Hector,  and  joy !  Dr.  Ballard  allowed  Jewel  to  drive 
as  long  as  they  remained  within  its  precincts.  Slipping 
his  hand  through  the  reins  above  where  she  grasped 
them,  he  held  Anna  Belle  on  his  knee.  Jewel  had  not 
suspected  the  size  of  the  park.  One  could  almost  see 
the  watered  leaves  increase  in  the  sunshine,  and  the 
birds  were  swelling  their  little  throats  to  the  utmost. 
The  roses  in  her  cheeks  deepened  in  her  happy  excite 
ment.  She  allowed  the  doctor  to  do  most  of  the  talk 
ing,  while  she  kept  her  eyes  on  the  horse's  ears.  Just 
once  she  ventured  to  turn  enough  to  glance  at  him. 

"  I  've  had  dreams  of  driving  horses,"  she  said. 

"  Is  this  the  first  time  you  've  done  it  waking?  " 

"  No,  the  second.  Father  took  me  once  in  Wash 
ington  Park  just  before  we  came  away,  but  the  horse 
did  n't  pull  like  this."  She  smiled  seraphically. 


A   MORNING  DRIVE  237 

"  So,  boy,  steady,"  said  the  doctor  soothingly,  and 
Hector  obeyed  the  voice. 

"  Did  you  play  in  the  Ravine  of  Happiness  when 
you  were  a  little  boy  ?  " 

"  Where 's  that  ?  " 

"Where  the  brook  is." 

"  Oh  yes.  Are  you  planning  to  take  me  to  that 
brook  and  wet  my  feet,  Jewel  ?  " 

"  We  've  gone  long  past  it.     Don't  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  think  my  education  has  been  neglected.  I  don't 
remember  it." 

"  We  can  go,"  returned  Jewel  suggestively. 

"  Very  well,  we  will ;  but  first  I  have  a  couple  of 
visits  I  must  make." 

The  horse  was  now  trotting  toward  the  park  gate. 
As  they  reached  it  Dr.  Ballard  returned  Anna  Belle 
and  took  the  lines. 

Jewel  gave  an  unconscious  sigh  of  rapture.  "  Trolleys 
and  so  on,  you  know,"  explained  Dr.  Ballard.  "  When 
you  come  back  ten  years  from  now  you  shall  drive  out 
side  too.  How  was  Essex  Maid  this  morning  ?  " 

"  She  was  all  right,  but  grandpa  took  only  a  short 
ride.  I  guess  he  was  a  little — l>it  —  afraid." 

"  She  's  the  apple  of  his  eye,  or  he  would  n't  have 
been  so  nervous  over  a  trifle  last  evening,"  remarked 
the  doctor. 

"  Well,  she  made  a  great  fuss,"  replied  Jewel.  "  She 
fell  down  in  her  stall,  and  everything  like  that." 

"  Did  she  really  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Zeke  said  his  knees  were  shaking." 

"  But  she  was  all  right  by  the  time  Dr.  Busby  ar 
rived  ?  " 

«  Yes." 


238  JEWEL 

Dr.  Ballard  looked  at  his  small  companion,  a  quizzi 
cal  smile  curving  his  mustache. 

"  I  've  never  thought  of  taking  a  partner,  Jewel, 
but  I  might  consider  a  mascot.  What  do  you  say  to 
sharing  my  office  and  being  my  mascot  ?  Special  high 
chair  for  Anna  Belle,  be  it  well  understood." 

The  little  girl  eyed  him,  her  head  on  one  side.  It 
was  her  experience  that  all  men  were  jokers.  "  I  don't 
know  what  a  mascot  is,"  she  replied. 

"  It 's  something  or  somebody  that  brings  one  good 
luck." 

"  Do  you  think  I  could  bring  you  good  luck  ?  " 

"  It  looks  that  way.  Of  course  there  are  certain 
rules  you  would  have  to  observe.  It  would  n't  do  for 
you  to  talk  against  materia  medica  to  the  patients  in 
the  anteroom." 

"  What 's  an  anteroom  ?  " 

"  The  place  where  my  patients  wait  until  I  can  see 
them  in  my  office." 

Jewel  lifted  her  shoulders  and  smiled.  "  I  might 
read  them  '  Science  and  Health  '  while  they  waited,  and 
then  they  would  n't  have  to  go  in." 

Dr.  Ballard's  laugh  rang  heartily  along  the  leafy 
street.  "  Is  that  your  idea  of  mascoting  a  poor  young 
physician  ?  "  he  inquired. 

Jewel  laughed  in  sympathy.  She  did  n't  quite  un 
derstand  him,  but  she  knew  that  they  were  having  a 
very  good  time. 

Pretty  soon  her  companion  drove  in  at  the  gate  of 
an  imposing  old  residence,  set  back  from  the  street 
where  the  trolley  ran  with  an  air  of  withdrawing  from 
the  intrusion  of  these  modern  tracks. 


A  MORNING  DRIVE  239 

"  I  thought  it  would  n't  injure  your  conscience  to 
wait  for  me  while  I  made  a  couple  of  professional  visits, 
Jewel,  eh  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  jumped  out  and  fastened 
Hector  to  the  ring  in  the  hand  of  a  bronze  boy.  "  I 
won't  be  any  longer  than  I  can  help,  and  don't  you 
go  to  hoodooing  me,  now,  while  I  'm  upstairs."  The 
doctor  returned  to  the  buggy  and  took  the  black  case, 
frowning  warningly  at  the  child.  "  I  have  troubles 
enough  here  without  that.  This  old  lady  used  to  trot 
me  on  her  knee,  and  she  wants  to  spend  half  an  hour 
every  morning  proving  that  doctors  don't  know  any 
thing  before  she  '11  let  me  get  to  business." 

"It  must  be  hard  for  doctors,"  returned  Jewel, 
"  going  to  sorry  people  all  the  time,  and  nothing  to 
give  them  except  something  on  their  tongues." 

Dr.  Ballard  gave  his  small  companion  a  quick  glance. 
If  he  secretly  considered  her  beliefs  as  too  richly  ab 
surd  to  excite  aught  but  amusement,  she  evidently  as 
honestly  compassionated  the  poverty  of  ideas  in  his 
learned  profession. 

"  Well,  I  '11  hurry,"  he  said,  and  vanished  within  the 
house.  Time  would  not  have  dragged  for  Jewel  had  he 
stayed  all  the  morning.  To  sit  in  the  shining  buggy 
in  close  proximity  to  the  dappled  gray  Hector,  and 
with  Anna  Belle  for  a  sympathizer,  caused  the  minutes 
to  be  winged. 

When  the  doctor  returned,  a  radiant  face  welcomed 
him. 

"I  thought  I  should  never  get  away,"  he  sighed, 
"  but  you  don't  look  bored." 

He  untied  the  horse,  jumped  into  the  buggy,  and 
they  were  off  again,  Hector  striding  along  as  if  to  make 


240  JEWEL 

up  for  lost  time.  "  Now  only  one  more  call,  Jewel, 
and  then  we  '11  get  back  out  of  the  dust  again,"  said 
the  doctor  cheerily. 

"  I  have  n't  noticed  any  dust,  Dr.  Ballard.  I  'm 
having  the  most  fun  !  " 

"  Well  now,  I  'm  glad  of  that.  It 's  a  great  thing 
to  be  eight  years  old,  Jewel." 

"  That 's  what  cousin  Eloise  says.  She  says  she  'd 
like  to  be." 

"  Indeed  ?     How  is  the  enchanting  —  excuse  me  — 
I  mean  the  enchanted  maiden  this  morning  ?  " 

"  She  's  well.  She  ties  my  bows  now,  so  grandpa 
does  n't  have  to." 

"  Ties  your  "  The  doctor  looked  at  the  speaker, 
mystified. 

Jewel  put  her  hand  up  to  the  small  billows  of  silk 
behind  her  ear.  "  My  hair  bows.  They  were  real 
hard  for  grandpa  to  do." 

Dr.  Ballard  repressed  a  guffaw,  and  then  turned 
solemn.  "  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  Mr.  Evringham 
tied  your  hair  ribbons  ?  " 

"  Why  yes." 

"  That  settles  it,  Jewel.  You  must  go  into  partner 
ship  with  me  and  wave  wands  and  things.  Setting 
Essex  Maid  on  her  legs  was  n't  a  patch  on  that." 

Jewel  regarded  him  questioningly  a  moment  and 
then  repeated,  "  But  it  was  real  hard  for  grandpa." 

"  I  can  believe  it !  " 

"And  cousin  Eloise  is  the  kindest  girl.  She's  like 
grandpa  about  that.  Her  kindness  is  inside,  too." 

"  Is  it  indeed?  You  don't  know  how  much  I  thank 
you  for  telling  me  where  to  look  for  it." 


A   MORNING  DRIVE  241 

"  Oh,  she  must  be  kind  to  you,  Dr.  Ballard !  " 

"  Once  in  a  while,  once  in  a  while,"  he  replied  cau 
tiously,  but  Jewel  could  n't  get  a  look  into  his  eyes, 
though  she  tried,  he  was  so  busily  engaged  poking  an 
invisible  fly  from  Hector's  side  with  the  point  of  the 
whip.  "  If  you  '11  find  a  way  to  make  her  kind  to 
me  all  the  time,  Jewel,  then  you  will  be  my  mascot 
indeed." 

"  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  know  she  is,"  replied  the 
child  earnestly.  "  I  felt  the  way  you  do,  at  first,  but 
now  I  've  found  out  just  because  I  stopped  being  afraid." 

"  Ah,  that 's  the  recipe,  eh  ?  All  I  've  to  do  is  to 
stop  being  afraid." 

"  That 's  all ! "  cried  Jewel,  beaming  at  his  ready 
comprehension.  "  You  '11  find  out  there  is  n't  a  thing 
to  be  afraid  of  with  cousin  Eloise,  and  oh,  Dr.  Ballard," 
the  child  smiled  at  him  wistfully,  "  she 's  getting  so  — 
so  —  unenchanted." 

"You  just  waved  your  wand,  I  suppose,  and  said 
'  Presto  change,'  "  returned  the  young  man. 

He  turned  Hector  down  a  side  street  and  drew  rein 
under  a  large  elm.  "  Here 's  my  rheumatic  gentle 
man,"  he  added,  as  he  jumped  from  the  buggy  and 
fastened  the  horse.  "  He  won't  keep  me  waiting  while 
he  abuses  doctors,  so  I  shan't  be  quite  so  long  this 
time."  The  speaker  seized  his  case  and  went  up  a 
garden  path  to  the  house,  and  Jewel,  with  a  luxurious 
sigh,  set  Anna  Belle  in  the  place  he  had  vacated. 


CHAPTER  XX 

BY    THE    BROOKSIDE 

SCARCELY  had  she  seen  the  doctor  admitted  and  the 
house  door  closed  when  an  approaching  pedestrian 
caught  her  eye.  She  recognized  him  at  once,  and  a 
little  more  color  stole  into  her  round  cheeks,  while  an 
unconscious  smile  touched  her  lips. 

The  gentleman  had  observed  the  doctor  enter  the 
house,  and  glanced  idly  as  he  passed,  to  see  what  child 
was  waiting  in  the  buggy.  The  half  shy  look  of  recog 
nition  which  he  met  surprised  him.  Somewhere  he  had 
seen  that  rosy  face.  Going  on  his  way  and  searching 
his  memory  he  had  left  the  buggy  behind,  when  in  a 
flash  it  came  to  him  how,  one  day,  that  same  shy,  pleased 
smile  had  beamed  wistfully  upon  him  in  a  trolley  car. 

Instantly  he  turned  back,  and  in  a  minute  Jewel 
saw  him  standing  beside  her.  He  lifted  his  hat  and 
replaced  it  as  he  held  out  his  hand. 

"  We  've  met  before,  have  n't  we  ?  "  he  asked  kindly. 

Jewel  shook  hands  with  him,  much  pleased.  "  My 
mother  and  father  have  gone  to  Europe,"  she  said, 
"  and  it  seemed  as  if  there  was  n't  a  Scientist  in  the 
whole  world  until  I  saw  you." 

"Another  proof  of  what  I  always  say  —  that  wo 
should  all  wear  the  pin.  I  did  n't  know  that  Dr. 
Ballard  had  any  Science  relations." 


BY   THE  BROOKS  IDE  243 

"  Oh,  Dr.  Ballarcl  and  I  are  not  relations,"  explained 
Jewel  seriously.  "  I  think  he  wants  to  marry  my 
cousin  Eloise  ;  but  he  has  n't  ever  said  so,  and  I  don't 
like  to  ask  him.  He  's  the  kindest  man.  I  just  love 
him,  and  he  's  letting  me  ride  around  with  him  while 
he  makes  calls." 

"  Why,  that 's  very  nice,  I  'm  sure,"  returned  Mr. 
Reeves,  smiling  broadly.  "  Does  he  know  that  you  're 
a  Christian  Scientist  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed.  I  had  a  claim,  and  my  grandpa 
called  him  to  help  me,  so  then  I  told  him,  but  he  kept 
on  reflecting  love  just  the  same." 

Mr.  Reeves  scented  an  interesting  experience,  but 
he  would  not  question  the  child.  "  Nice  fellow,  Guy 
Ballard.  He  deserves  a  better  fate  than  to  bow  down 
to  false  gods  all  his  days." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  returned  Jewel  heartily. 

"  But,  as  you  say,"  continued  Mr.  Reeves,  "  he  re 
flects  love,  and  so  we  shall  hear  of  his  being  a  success 
ful  physician." 

"Yes,  I  want  him  to  be  always  happy,"  said  the  child. 

"  Who  is  your  grandfather,  my  dear  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Evringham." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?     Then  you  are  —  whose  child  ?  " 

"  My  father's  name  is  Harry." 

"  Of  course,  of  course."  Mr.  Reeves  nodded,  trying 
to  conceal  his  surprise.  "  And  is  he  a  Scientist  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  mother  is  teaching  him  to  be." 

"  Well,  I  'iu  sure  I  'm  very  glad  to  hear  this.  Your 
grandfather  is  not  unkindly  disposed  toward  Science?" 

"  My  grandpa  could  n't  be  unkind  to  anything  !  I 
thought  you  knew  him."  » 


244  JEWEL 

Mr.  Keeves  smoothed  his  mustache  vigorously.  "  1 
thought  I  did,"  he  returned.  "  You  spoke  of  your 
cousin.  I  knew  your  aunt  and  cousin  were  with  Mr. 
Evringham  now.  Well,  I'm  glad,  I'm  sure,  that  you 
are  so  pleasantly  situated.  You  must  come  to  our  lit 
tle  hall  some  Sunday  where  we  have  service,  you  know. 
It  will  be  rather  different  from  your  beautiful  churches 
in  Chicago." 

"  But  I  'd  love  to  come,"  replied  the  child  eagerly. 
"  I  did  n't  know  there  was  one  here.  I  '11  get  grandpa 
to  bring  me." 

"  Mr.  Evringham !  "  The  speaker  could  feel  the 
tendency  of  his  jaw  to  drop. 

"  Yes,  or  else  cousin  Eloise.  She  helps  me  get  the 
lesson  every  day,  and  then  she  takes  my  book  and  reads 
and  reads.  She  told  me  this  morning  she  read  almost 
all  last  night." 

Mr.  Reeves  nodded  slowly  once  or  twice.  "  Still 
they  come,"  he  murmured  meditatively. 

"  Would  you  —  would  you  mind  writing  down  where 
that  hall  is  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Certainly  I  will."  Mr.  Reeves  suited  the  action  to 
the  word,  taking  an  envelope  from  his  pocket  for  the 
purpose.  "  And  if  I  ever  see  Mr.  Evringham  there  " 
-  he  said  slowly,  "  by  the  way,  please  tell  your  grand 
father  that  we  met  and  had  this  chat." 

"  I  don't  know  your  name,"  returned  the  child. 

u  Why,  of  course.  Pardon  me.  Reeves.  Mr.  Reeves. 
Can  you  remember  that  ?  " 

The  little  girl  flashed  a  bright  look  at  him.  "  We 
can't  forget,"  she  reminded  him. 

"  Of   course,"   he  nodded.       "  Exactly.     I  'm  very 


BY  THE  BROOKS  IDE  245 

likely  younger  in  Science  than  you  are,  little  one. 
How  long  have  you  known  about  it  ?  " 

Jewel  thought.      "  Seven  years,"  she  replied. 

Her  companion  gave  a  laughing  exclamation.  "  There, 
you  see.  I  've  known  for  only  one  year.  What  is  your 
name  ?  " 

"  Jewel  Evringham." 

"  Good-by,  Jewel,  till  we  meet  again,  some  Sunday 
soon,  I  hope." 

They  shook  hands,  and  Mr.  Reeves  went  smiling  on 
his  way. 

"  Seven  years,"  he  reflected.  "  There  's  the  simon 
pure  article.  She  can't  be  over  nine.  I  '11  wager  Bel- 
Air  Park  has  had  its  sensations  of  late.  Evringham  ! 
The  high  ball,  the  billiard  ball,  and  the  race  track,  and 
now  the  reputation  of  being  a  difficult  old  martinet. 
Never  unkind  to  anything !  Why,  she  's  a  little  femi 
nine  Siegfried,  that  precious  Jewel.  Ballard  and  the 
cousin,  eh  ?  I  Ve  heard  that  rumor." 

When  Dr.  Ballard  returned  to  the  buggy,  Jewel  be 
gan  loquaciously  telling  him  of  her  pleasant  experience. 

"  And  he  knows  you,  Mr.  Reeves  does,  and  he  said 
you  were  a  nice  fellow,"  she  finished,  beaming. 

"  Very  civil  of  him,  I  'm  sure,"  returned  the  doctor  as 
the  horse  started.  "  I  distinctly  remember  his  having 
a  different  opinion  one  night  when  he  caught  me  in  his 
favorite  cherry  tree  ;  but  I  don't  yet  understand  the 
levity  of  his  behavior  in  scraping  acquaintance  with 
the  young  lady  I  left  unprotected  in  my  buggy." 

"  Oh,  we  'd  met  before  in  a  trolley  car,"  explained 
Jewel.  "  I  wanted  to  run  right  to  him  when  I  first 
saw  that  he  was  a  Scientist." 


246  JEWEL 

"  A  what  ?  Mr.  Reeves  ?  Oh,  go  'way,  my  little 
mascot.  Go  'way  ! 

"Yes,  he  had  on  the  pin — this  one,  you  know." 
Jewel  touched  the  small  gold  symbol,  and  Dr.  Ballard 
examined  it  curiously.  "  So  we  smiled  at  each  other, 
and  to-day  he  's  told  me  where  I  can  come  to  church, 
and  I  'm  nearly  sure  cousin  Eloise  will  go  with  me." 

Dr.  Ballard's  eyes  grew  serious  as  he  turned  Hec 
tor's  head  toward  the  park.  "  I  can  scarcely  believe  it 
of  Mr.  Reeves,"  he  said. 

"  He  says  you  are  too  nice  to  bow  down  to  false 
gods,"  added  Jewel  shyly. 

"  If  mine  are  false  to  you,  yours  are  false  to  me," 
said  the  young  man  kindly.  "  You  can  understand 
that,  can't  you,  Jewel  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  can." 

"  And  we  should  never  quarrel  over  it,  should  we  ?  " 
he  went  on. 

"  No — o  !  "  returned  Jewel  scornfully.  "  We  'd.  get 
a  pain." 

"  But  you  can  see,"  went  on  the  young  doctor  se 
riously,  "  that  the  more  we  cared  for  one  another 
the  more  we  should  regret  such  a  wide  difference  of 
opinion." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  agreed  the  child,  "  and  so  we  'd  " 

"  You  are  going  back  to  Chicago  after  a  while,  and 
so  you  understand  that  I  can  better  afford  to  agree  to 
differ  with  you  than  I  could  with  some  one  who  was 
going  to  stay  here  —  your  cousin  Eloise,  for  instance." 

The  child  looked  at  him  in  silence.  She  had  never 
seen  Dr.  Ballard  wear  this  expression. 

"  For  this  reason,  Jewel,  I  want  to  ask  you  if  you 


BY  THE  BROOKS  IDE  247 

won't  do  me  the  favor  not  to  talk  to  your  cousin  about 
Christian  Science,  nor  ask  her  to  read  your  books,  nor 
to  go  to  church  with  you." 

The  child's  countenance  reflected  his  seriousness. 

"  You  can  see,  can't  you,  that  if  Miss  Eloise  should 
become  much  interested  in  that  fad  it  would  spoil  our 
pleasure  in  being  together,  while  it  lasted  ?  " 

The  word  fad  was  not  in  Jewel's  vocabulary,  but 
she  grasped  the  doctor's  meaning,  and  understood  that 
he  was  much  in  earnest.  She  felt  very  responsible  for 
the  moment,  and  in  doubt  how  to  express  herself. 

"  I  feel  sort  of  mixed  up,  Dr.  Ballard,"  she  returned 
after  a  minute's  silent  perplexity.  "  You  don't  mind 
cousin  Eloise  reading  the  Bible,  do  you  ?  " 

«  No." 

"  You  're  glad  if  she  can  be  happy  instead  of  sorry, 
are  n't  you  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

Jewel  looked  at  him  hopefully.  "  There  won't  be 
anything  worse  than  that,"  she  said. 

"  Yes,  many  things  worse,"  he  responded  quickly. 
"You  might  do  me  that  little  favor,  Jewel.  I  under 
stand  you  go  to  her  with  your  lessons,  as  you  call  it, 
and  your  questions." 

"  Yes,  she  helps  me ;  but  she  takes  my  books  to 
her  room.  I  don't  see  how  I  can  help  it,  Dr.  Bal 
lard." 

"  Well,"  he  heaved  a  quiet  sigh,  "  perhaps  the  attack 
will  be  shorter  if  it  is  sharp.  We  '11  hope  so." 

"  I  would  n't  do  any  harm  to  you  for  anything,"  said 
the  child  earnestly,  "  but  you  wait  a  little  while. 
When  people  come  into  Christian  Science  it  makes 


248  JEWEL 

them  twice  as  nice.  If  you  see  cousin  Eloise  get  twice 
as  nice  you  '11  be  glad,  won't  you  ?  " 

The  young  man  gave  an  impatient  half  laugh. 

"  I  'm  not  grasping,"  he  returned.  "  She  does  very 
well  for  me  as  she  is.  Now,"  he  turned  again  to  the 
child,  who  rejoiced  in  the  recovered  twinkle  in  his  eyes, 
"you  have  my  full  permission  to  convert  the  error 
fairy." 

"  Hush,  hush !  "  ejaculated  Jewel,  alarmed.  "  We 
mustn't  hold  that  law  over  her." 

Dr.  Ballard  laughed. 

"  Convert  her,  I  say.  Let  us  see  what  she  would  be 
like  if  she  were  twice  as  nice.  She  's  a  very  charming 
woman  now,  your  aunt  Madge.  If  she  were  twice  as 
nice  —  who  knows  ?  The  fairy  might  spread  wings 
and  float  away  !  " 

They  had  entered  the  park  and  Jewel  suddenly  noted 
their  surroundings.  "  We  're  coming  to  the  Ravine  of 
Happiness,"  she  said. 

"  That 's  the  way  it 's  been  looking  to  me  ever  since 
last  evening,"  responded  her  companion  meditatively. 

The  child  paid  no  attention  to  his  words.  She  was 
watching  eagerly  for  the  bend  in  the  road  beside  which 
the  gorge  lay  steepest. 

"  There !  "  she  said  at  last,  resting  her  hand  on  that 
of  her  companion.  Obediently  the  doctor  stopped  his 
horse.  The  park  was  still  but  for  the  bird  notes,  the 
laughter  and  babble  of  the  brook  far  below,  and  the 
rustle  of  the  fresh  leaves,  each  one  a  transparency  for 
a  sunbeam. 

The  two  were  silent  for  a  minute,  Jewel's  radiant 
eyes  seeking  the  pensive  ones  of  her  companion. 


BY  THE  BROOKS  IDE  249 

"  Do  you  hear  ?  "  she  asked  softly  at  last. 

"  What  ?  "  he  returned. 

"  It  is  cousin  Eloise's  Spring  Song." 

The  doctor's  words  and  looks  remained  in  Jewel's 
mind  after  she  reached  home  that  day.  She  mused 
concerning  him  while  she  was  taking  off  Anna  Belle's 
]iat  and  jacket  up  in  her  own  room. 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  could  understand  much  what 
he  meant,  dearie,"  she  said,  her  face  very  sober  from 
stress  of  thought,  "  but  I  did.  If  I  'd  been  as  big  as 
mother  I  could  have  helped  him ;  but  I  knew  I  was 
too  little,  and  when  people  don't  understand,  mother 
says  it  is  so  easy  to  make  mistakes  in  what  you  say  to 
them." 

Anna  Belle's  silence  gave  assent,  and  her  sweet  ex 
pression  was  always  a  solace  to  Jewel,  who  kissed  the 
hard  roses  in  her  cheeks  repeatedly  before  she  set  her 
in  the  big  chair  by  the  window  and  went  down  to  lunch. 
Anna  Belle's  forced  abstemiousness  had  ceased  to  afflict 
her.  At  the  lunch  table  she  gave  a  vivacious  account 
of  the  morning's  diversions,  and  for  once  Mrs.  Evring- 
ham  listened  to  what  she  said,  a  curious  expression  on 
her  face.  This  lady  had  expected  to  endure  annoyance 
with  this  child  on  her  grandfather's  account ;  but  for 
unkind  fate  to  cause  Jewel  to  be  a  hindrance  and  a 
marplot  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Ballard  was  adding  insult 
to  injury. 

The  child,  suddenly  catching  the  expression  of  Mrs, 
Evringham's  eyes  as  they  rested  upon  her,  was  startled, 
and  ceased  talking. 

"Aunt  Madge  does  love  me,"  she  declared  mentally 


250  JEWEL 

"  God's  children  love  one  another  every  minute,  every 
minute." 

"  So  Mr.  Reeves  told  you  where  you  can  go  to  church," 
said  Eloise,  replying  to  Jewel's  last  bit  of  information. 

"  Yes,  and  "  —  the  little  girl  was  going  on  eagerly  to 
suggest  that  her  cousin  accompany  her,  when  suddenly 
Dr.  Ballard's  eyes  seemed  looking  at  her  and  repeating 
their  protest. 

She  stopped,  and  ate  for  a  time  in  silence.  Mrs. 
Forbes  paid  little  attention  to  what  was  being  said. 
She  moved  about  perfunctorily,  with  an  air  of  preoccu 
pation.  She  had  a  more  serious  trouble  now  than  the 
care  and  intrusion  of  the  belongings  of  Lawrence  and 
Harry  Evringham,  a  worry  that  for  days  and  nights 
had  not  ceased  to  gnaw  at  her  heart,  first  as  a  suspicion 
and  afterward  as  a  certainty. 

When  luncheon  was  over,  Eloise  in  leaving  the  din 
ing-room,  put  her  arm  around  Jewel's  shoulders,  and 
together  they  strolled  through  the  hall  and  out  upon 
the  piazza. 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  after  them.  "  If  only  that 
child  were  n't  a  little  fanatic  and  Eloise  in  such  an 
erratic,  wayward  state,  ready  to  seize  upon  anything 
novel,  it  would  be  all  very  well,"  she  mused,  "  for  Dr. 
Ballard  seems  to  find  Jewel  amusing,  and  it  might  be 
a  point  of  common  interest.  As  it  is,  if  ever  I  wished 
any  one  in  Jericho,  it 's  that  child." 

Jewel,  happy  in  the  proximity  of  her  lovely  cousin, 
satisfied  herself  by  a  glance  that  aunt  Madge  was  not 
following. 

Eloise  looked  about  over  the  sunny,  verdant  land 
scape.  "  What  a  deceitful  world,"  she  said.  "  It  looks 


BY    THE  BROOKSIDE  251 

so  serene  and  easy  to  live  in.  So  it  was  very  lovely  over 
at  your  ravine  this  morning  ?  " 

"  Oh !  "  Jewel  looked  up  at  her  with  eager  eyes. 
"  Let 's  go.  You  have  n't  been  there.  It 's  only  a 
little  way.  You  don't  need  your  hat,  cousin  Eloise." 

Summer  was  in  the  air.  The  girl  was  amused  at 
the  child's  enthusiastic  tone.  "  Very  well,"  she  an 
swered. 

Jewel  drew  her  on  with  an  embracing  arm,  and  they 
descended  the  steps  and  walked  down  the  path. 

Suddenly  the  child  stopped.  "  Does  n't  it  seem 
unkind  to  go  without  Anna  Belle  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Oh,  nonsense,"  returned  Eloise,  smiling.  "  You  're 
not  going  way  upstairs  to  get  her.  We  need  n't  tell 
her  we  went.  She  's  been  out  driving  all  the  morning. 
I  think  it  's  my  turn." 

The  child  looked  happily  up  into  her  cousin's  face. 
"  I  love  to  see  you  laugh,  cousin  Eloise,"  she  returned, 
and  they  strolled  on. 

The  park  drives  were  deserted.  The  cousins  reached 
the  gorge  without  meeting  any  one.  Leaning  upon  the 
slender  fence,  they  gazed  down  into  the  green  depths, 
and  for  a  minute  listened  to  the  woodland  melody. 

"  Is  n't  it  just  like  your  Spring  Song  ?  "  asked  the 
child  at  last. 

"  It  is  sweet  and  comforting  and  good,"  replied  the 
girl  slowly,  a  far-off  look  in  her  eyes. 

Jewel  lifted  her  shoulders.  "  Don't  you  want  to 
get  down  there,  cousin  Eloise  ?  "  she  asked,  her  eyes 
sparkling. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  girl  promptly. 

"  "Will  it  hurt  your  dress  ?  "  added  Jewel,  with  a 


252  JEWEL 

sudden  memory  of  Mrs.  Forbes,  as  she  looked  over  her 
cousin's  immaculate  black  and  white  costume. 

"  I  guess  not,"  laughed  the  girl.  "  Are  you  afraid 
Mrs.  Forbes  will  put  me  to  bed  ?  " 

She  bent  her  lithe  figure  and  was  under  the  wire  in 
a  twinkling.  Jewel  crept  gleefully  after  her,  but  was 
careful  to  hold  her  little  skirts  out  of  harm's  way  as 
they  climbed  down  the  steep  bank  and  at  last  rested 
among  the  ferns  by  the  brook.  Its  louder  babble  seemed 
to  welcome  them.  Nature  had  been  busy  at  her  mir 
acle  working  since  the  child's  last  visit.  Without 
moving  she  could  have  gathered  a  handful  of  little  blos 
soms.  Instead,  she  rolled  over  and  kissed  a  near  clump 
of  violets.  "  You  darling,  darling  things  !  "  she  said. 

Eloise  looked  up  through  far  boughs  to  the  fleece- 
flecked  sky.  "  Everything  worth  living  for  is  right 
here,  Jewel,"  she  said.  "  Let 's  have  a  tent  and  not 
give  any  one  our  address." 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  let  Dr.  Ballard  come,  don't 

you?" 

"Now  why  did  you  pick  him  out?"  returned  Eloise 
plaintively.  She  was  resting  her  head  against  her 
clasped  hands  as  she  stretched  herself  against  the  in 
cline  of  her  verdant  couch.  Her  companion  did  not 
reply  at  once,  and  Eloise  lazily  turned  her  head  to 
where  she  could  view  the  eyes  fixed  upon  her. 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of,  Jewel?  " 

"  I  was  just  thinking  that  if  my  mother  made  you  a 
thin  green  dress  that  swept  around  you  all  long  and 
narrow,  you  'd  look  like  a  flower,  too." 

The  girl  smiled  back  at  the  sky.  "  That 's  very  nice. 
You  can  think  those  thoughts  all  you  please." 


BY  THE  BROOKSIDE  253 

"•  That  was  n't  all,  though,  because  I  was  thinking 
about  Dr.  Ballard.  He  feels  sorry.  I  could  n't  tell 
you  about  it  at  lunch,  because  aunt  Madge  —  well, 
because" 

"Yes,"  returned  Eloise  quietly.  "It  is  better  for 
us  to  be  alone." 

Jewel's  brow  relaxed.  "  Yes,"  she  said  contentedly, 
"  in  the  Ravine  of  Happiness." 

"  Look  out,  though,"  continued  the  girl  in  the  same 
quiet  tone  and  looking  back  at  the  sky.  "  Look  out 
what  you  say  here.  It  is  easy  now  to  feel  that  all  is 
harmonious,  and  that  discords  do  not  exist.  I  think 
even  if  grandfather  appeared  I  could  talk  with  him 
peacefully." 

"  I  have  thought  about  it,"  returned  the  child,  "  and 
it  seems  hard  to  know  what  to  say ;  but  I  love  you  and 
Dr.  Ballard  both,  so  it  will  be  sure  to  come  out  right. 
He  feels  sorry  if  you  are  beginning  to  like  to  study 
Christian  Science." 

"  Really,  did  he  speak  of  that  to  you  ?  I  think  he 
might  have  chosen  a  man  of  his  size." 

"  Of  course  he  spoke  of  it  when  he  found  out  I  wanted 
to  ask  you  to  take  me  to  our  church." 

"  Where  is  the  church  here  ?  "  Eloise  abandoned 
her  lazy  tone. 

"  They  have  a  hall.  Mr.  Reeves  wrote  it  down  for 
me.  Do  you  really  care,  cousin  Eloise  ?  You  've  been 
so  kind  and  helped  me,  but  do  you  really  begin  to 
care  ?  " 

"  Care  ?  Who  could  help  caring,  if  it  is  true  ?  I  've 
been  reading  some  of  the  tales  of  cures  in  your  maga 
zine.  If  those  people  tell  the  truth  " 


254  JEWEL 

"  Why,  cousin  Eloise  !  "  The  child's  shocked  eyes 
recalled  the  girl's  self-centred  thoughts. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  dear.  It  was  rude  to  say  that. 
I  'in  not  ill,  Jewel.  I  'm  so  well  and  strong  that  —  I  've 
sometimes  wished  I  was  n't,  but  life  turned  petty  and 
disgusting  to  me.  I  resented  everything.  It  is  just 
as  wonderful  and  radiant  a  star  of  hope  to  read  that 
there  is  a  sure  way  out  of  my  tangle  as  if  I  had  con 
sumption  and  was  promised  a  cure  of  that.  I  don't  yet 
exactly  believe  it,  but  I  don't  disbelieve  it.  All  I  know 
is  I  want  to  read,  read,  read  all  the  time.  I  was 
just  thinking  a  minute  ago  that  if  we  had  the  books 
here  it  would  be  perfect.  This  is  the  sort  of  place 
where  it  would  be  easiest  to  see  that  only  the  good  is 
the  real,  and  that  the  unsubstantiality  of  everything 
evil  can  be  proved." 

Jewel  gave  her  head  a  little  shake.  "  Just  think 
of  poor  Dr.  Ballard  being  afraid  to  have  you  believe 
that." 

"  But  who  would  n't  be  afraid  to  believe  it,  who 
would  n't !  "  exclaimed  the  girl  vehemently. 

"  Why,  I  've  always  known  it,  cousin  Eloise,"  re 
turned  the  child  simply. 

"  You  dear  baby.  You  have  n't  lived  long.  I  don't 
want  to  climb  into  a  fool's  paradise  only  to  fall  out  with 
a  dull  thud." 

Jewel  looked  at  her,  grasping  as  well  as  she  could 
her  meaning.  "  I  know  I  'm  only  a  little  girl ;  but  if 
you  should  go  to  church  with  me,"  she  said,  "you  'd 
see  a  lot  of  grown-up  people  who  know  it 's  true. 
Then  we  could  go  on  Wednesday  evenings  and  hear 
them  tell  what  Christian  Science  has  done  for  them." 


BY  THE  BROOKS  WE  255 

"  Oh,  I  'm  sure  I  should  n't  like  that,"  responded 
Eloise  quickly.  "  How  can  they  hear  to  tell !  " 

"  They  don't  think  it 's  right  not  to.  There  are  lots 
of  other  people  besides  you  that  are  sorry  and  need  to 
learn  the  truth." 

The  rebuke  was  so  innocent  and,  withal,  so  direct, 
that  honest  Eloise  turned  toward  Jewel  and  made  an 
impulsive  grasp  toward  her,  capturing  nothing  but  the 
edge  of  the  child's  dress,  which  she  held  firmly. 

"  You  're  right,  Jewel.  I  'm  a  selfish,  thin-skinned 
creature,"  she  declared. 

The  little  girl  shook  her  head.  "  You  've  got  to 
stop  thinking  you  are,  you  know,"  she  answered. 
"  You  have  to  know  that  the  error  Eloise  is  n't  you." 

"  That 's  mortal  mind,  I  suppose,"  returned  Eloise, 
smiling  at  the  sound  of  the  phrase. 

"  I  should  think  it  was  !  Old  thing  !  Always  try 
ing  to  cheat  us  !  "  said  Jewel.  "  All  that  you  have  to 
do  is  to  remember  every  minute  that  God's  child  must 
be  manifested.  He  inherits  every  good  and  perfect 
thing,  and  has  dominion  over  every  belief  of  everything 
else." 

Eloise  stared  at  her  in  wonder.  "Do  you  know 
what  you  're  talking  about,  you  little  thing,  when  you 
use  all  those  long  words  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Don't  you  ?  "  asked  the  child.  "  Oh,  lis 
ten  !  "  for  a  bird  suddenly  poured  a  wild  strain  of  mel 
ody  from  the  treetop. 

"  And  just  think,"  said  Jewel  presently,  in  a  soft, 
awestruck  tone,  "that  some  people  wear  birds  sewed 
on  their  hats,  just  as  if  they  were  glad  something  was 
dead !  " 


256  JEWEL 

"  It  is  weird,."  agreed  Eloise.  "  I  never  liked  it. 
Jewel,  did  Dr.  Ballard  blame  you  because  I  am  inter 
ested  in  Christian  Science  ?  " 

"  He  said  he  wished  I  would  n't  talk  to  you  and  go 
to  church  and  everything." 

The  girl  bit  a  blade  of  grass  and  eyed  the  child's 
serious  face. 

"  Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  I  asked  God  to  show  me.  I  wish  Dr.  Ballard 
would  study  with  you." 

"  That  is  impossible.  He  has  spent  years  learning 
his  science,  and  he  loves  it  and  is  proud  of  it ;  so  what 
next?" 

"  Very  queer  things  happen  sometimes,"  rejoined 
Jewel  doubtfully. 

"  But  not  so  queer  as  that  would  be,"  returned 
Eloise. 

Jewel  was  pondering.  This  was  very  delicate  ground, 
and  she  still  felt  some  awe  of  her  cousin  ;  however, 
there  was  only  one  thing  to  consider. 

"  Do  you  love  him  better  than  anybody,  cousin 
Eloise  ?  "  she  asked. 

A  flood  of  color  warmed  the  girl's  face,  but  she  had 
to  smile. 

"  Would  that  make  the  difference  ?  "  she  asked. 
"  Must  n't  we  want  the  truth  anyway  ?  " 

Jewel  heaved  a  mighty  sigh.  She  was  thinking  of 
Dr.  Ballard's  pensive  eyes.  "  I  should  think  so,"  she 
answered  frankly  ;  "  because  if  you  just  study  the 
truth,  and  hold  on  tight,  how  can  things  be  anything 
but  happy  at  last?  I  wish  I  was  more  grown  up, 
cousin  Eloise,"  she  added  apologetically. 


BY  THE  BROOK  SIDE  257 

"  Oh  no,  no,"  answered  the  girl,  with  a  little  catch 
in  her  throat.  "  I  've  had  so  much  of  grown-up  people, 
Jewel !  I  'm  so  grown  up  myself  !  Just  a  little  while 
ago  I  was  a  schoolgirl,  busy  and  happy  all  the  time. 
I  never  even  went  out  anywhere  except  with  father, 
and  with  Nat  when  he  was  at  home  from  college. 
You  don't  know  Nat,  but  you  'd  like  him." 

"  Why  ?     Is  he  a  Christian  Scientist  ?  " 

For  answer  Eloise  laughed  low  but  heartily.  "  Nat 
a  Christian  Scientist !  "  she  mused  aloud.  "  Not  ex 
actly,  my  little  cousin  !  " 

"  Then  should  I  like  him  as  well  as  Dr.  Ballard  ?  " 
asked  Jewel  incredulously. 

"  I  don't  know.     Tastes  differ." 

"  Does  he  like  horses  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  He  knows  everything  about  a  horse  and  a  yacht 
except  how  to  pay  for  them,  poor  boy,"  returned 
Eloise. 

"  Is  he  poor  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  is  poor  and  expensive.  It  is  a  bad  com 
bination  ;  it  is  almost  as  bad  as  being  poor  and  extrava 
gant.  His  mother  is  a  widow,  and  they  have  n't  much, 
but  what  there  was  she  has  insisted  on  spending  on 
him  —  that  is,  all  she  could  spare  from  the  doctor's 
bills." 

"  She  needs  Science  then,  does  n't  she  ?  " 

"Jewel,  that  would  be  one  thing  that  would  keep 
me  from  wanting  to  be  a  Scientist.  What 's  the  fun 
of  being  one  unless  everybody  else  is?  My  mother, 
for  instance." 

"  Yes  ;  but  then  you  'd  find  out  how  to  help  her." 

Eloise  glanced  at  the  child  curiously.     She  thought 


258  JEWEL 

it  would  be  interesting  to  peep  into  Jewel's  mind  and 
see  her  estimate  of  aunt  Madge. 

"  My  mother  has  a  great  deal  to  trouble  her,"  she 
said  loyally. 
"  Yes,  I  know  she  thinks  she  has,"  returned  the  child. 

Again  her  response  surprised  her  companion. 

"  I  '11  take  you  as  you  are,  Jewel,"  she  said.  "  I  'm 
glad  you  're  not  grown  up.  You  're  fresher  from  the 
workshop." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

AN    EFFORT    FOR   TRUTH 

WHEN  Eloise  spoke  in  the  ravine  of  talking  with  her 
grandfather,  it  was  because  for  a  few  days  she  had  been 
trying  to  make  up  her  mind  to  an  interview  with  him. 
A  fortnight  ago  she  would  have  felt  this  to  be  impos 
sible  ;  but  subtle  changes  had  been  going  on  in  herself, 
and,  she  thought,  in  him.  If  her  mother  would  under 
take  the  interview  now  and  take  that  stand  with  Mr. 
Evringham  which  Eloise  felt  that  self-respect  demanded, 
the  girl  would  gladly  escape  it ;  but  there  was  no  pros 
pect  of  such  a  thing.  Mrs.  Evringham  was  only  too 
glad  to  benefit  by  her  father-in-law's  modified  mood, 
to  glide  along  the  surface  of  things  and  wait  —  Eloise 
knew  it,  knew  it  every  day,  in  moments  when  her  cheeks 
flushed  hot  —  for  Dr.  Ballard  to  throw  the  handker 
chief. 

The  girl  wished  to  talk  with  Mr.  Evringham  with 
out  her  mother's  knowledge,  and  the  prospect  was  a 
dreaded  ordeal.  She  felt  that  they  had  won  his  con 
tempt,  and  she  feared  the  loss  of  her  own  self-control 
when  she  should  come  to  touch  upon  the  sore  spots. 

"  What  would  you  do,  Jewel,"  she  asked  the  next 
morning,  after  they  had  read  the  lesson  ;  "  what  would 
you  do  if  you  were  afraid  of  somebody?  " 

"  I  would  n't  be,"  returned  the  child  quickly. 


260  JEWEL 

"  Well,  I  am.    Now  what  am  I  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

Anna  Belle,  who  always  gave  unwinking  attention 
to  the  lesson,  was  in  Jewel's  lap,  and  the  child  twisted 
out  the  in-turning  morocco  foot  as  she  spoke. 

"  Why,  I  'd  know  that  one  thought  of  God  could  n't 
be  afraid  of  another,"  she  replied  in  the  conclusive  tone 
to  which  Eloise  could  never  grow  accustomed. 

"  Oh,  Jewel,  child,"  the  girl  said  impatiently,  "  we  'd 
be  sorry  to  think  most  of  the  people  we  know  are 
thoughts  of  God." 

"  That 's  because  you  get  the  error  man  mixed  up  with 
the  real  one.  Mother  explains  that  to  me  when  we 
ride  in  cable  cars  and  places  where  we  see  error  people 
with  sorry  faces.  There  's  a  real  man,  a  real  thought 
of  God,  behind  every  one  of  them  ;  and  when  you  re 
member  to  think  right  about  people  every  minute,  you 
are  doing  them  good.  Did  you  say  you  're  afraid  of 
somebody?" 

"  Yes,  and  that  somebody  is  a  man  whom  I  must 
talk  to." 

"  Then  begin  right  away  to  know  every  minute  that 
the  real  man  is  n't  anybody  to  be  afraid  of,  for  God 
made  him,  and  God  has  only  loving  thoughts ;  and  of 
course  you  must  be  loving  all  the  time.  It  '11  be  just 
as  easy  by  the  time  you  come  to  it,  cousin  Eloise  !  " 

The  girl  often  asked  herself  in  these  days  why  she 
should  begin  to  feel  unreasonably  hopeful  and  lighter 
hearted.  Her  mother  no  longer  complained  of  her 
moods.  Mrs.  Evringham  laid  the  becoming  change  in 
her  daughter's  expression  to  the  girl's  happiness  in  dis 
covering  that  she  did  reciprocate  Dr.  Ballard's  evident 
sentiments. 


AN  EFFORT  FOR   TRUTH  261 

"  Eloise  is  so  high  minded,"  thought  the  mother 
complacently.  "  She  would  never  be  satisfied  to  marry 
for  convenience,  like  so  many ;  "  and  considering  herself 
passingly  astute,  she  let  well  enough  alone,  ceased  to 
bring  the  physician's  name  into  every  conversation, 
and  bided  her  time. 

One  morning  Mr.  Evringham,  coming  out  of  the 
house  to  go  to  town,  met  Eloise  on  the  piazza. 

"  You  are  down  early,"  he  said  as  he  greeted  her, 
and  was  passing  on  to  the  carriage. 

"  Just  one  minute,  grandfather  !  "  she  exclaimed,  and 
how  her  heart  beat.  He  turned  his  erect  form  in  some 
surprise,  and  his  cold  eyes  met  the  girlish  ones. 

"  She  's  a  stunning  creature,"  he  thought,  as  the 
sunlight  bathed  her  young  beauty ;  but  his  face  was 
impenetrable,  and  Eloise  nerved  herself. 

"  Were  you  thinking  of  going  golfing  this  after 
noon  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

"  I  thought  you  said  something  about  it  at  dinner 
last  evening.  Would  you  let  me  go  with  you  ?  " 

Mr.  Evringham,  much  astonished,  raised  his  eye 
brows  and  took  off  the  hat  which  he  had  replaced. 

"  Such  a  request  from  youth  and  beauty  is  a  com 
mand,"  he  returned  with  a  slight  bow. 

Tears  sprang  to  the  girl's  eyes.  "  Don't  make  fun 
of  me,  grandfather!  "  she  exclaimed  impulsively. 

"  Not  for  worlds,"  he  returned.  "  You  will  do  the 
laughing  when  you  see  me  drive.  My  hand  seems  to 
have  lost  its  cunning  this  spring.  Shall  we  say  four- 
thirty  ?  Very  well.  Good-morning." 

"  Now  what 's  all  this?"  mused  Mr.  Evringham  as 


262  JEWEL 

he  drove  to  the  station.  "  Has  another  granddaughter 
fallen  in  love  with  me  ?  Methinks  not.  What  is  she 
after?  Does  she  want  to  get  away  from  Ballard? 
Methinks  not,  again.  She  's  going  to  ask  me  for  some 
thing  probably.  Egad,  if  she  does,  I  think  I  '11  turn 
her  over  to  Jewel." 

Eloise's  eyes  were  bright  during  the  lesson  that 
morning. 

"  It 's  to-day,  Jewel,"  she  said,  "  that  I  'm  going  to 
talk  with  that  man  I  'm  afraid  of." 

"  Never  say  that  again,"  returned  the  child  vehe 
mently.  "  You  are  not  afraid.  There  's  no  one  to  be 
afraid  of.  Do  you  want  me  to  handle  it  for  you?  '* 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Jewel?  " 

"  To  declare  the  truth  for  you." 

"  Do  you  mean  give  me  a  treatment  for  it  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Oh.  Do  you  know  that  seems  very  funny  to  me, 
Jewel?" 

"  It  seems  funny  to  me  that  you  are  afraid,  when 
God  made  you,  and  the  man,  and  all  of  us,  and  there 's 
nothing  but  goodness  and  love  in  the  universe.  Fear 
is  the  belief  of  evil.  Do  you  want  to  believe  evil  ?  " 

"  No,  I  hate  to,"  returned  Eloise  promptly. 

"  Then  you  go  away,  cousin  Eloise,  and  I  will  handle 
the  case  for  you." 

"  Oh,  are  you  going  golfing  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Evringham 
that  afternoon  to  her  daughter.  "  Do  put  on  your 
white  duck,  dear." 

"  Yes,  I  intend  to.     I  'm  going  with  grandfather." 
"  You  are  ?  "    in    extremest    surprise.     "  Oh,  wear 


AN  EFFORT  FOR   TRUTH  263 

your  dark  skirt,  dear ;  it 's  plenty  good  enough.  Do 
you  mean  to  say  he  asked  you,  Eloise  ?  " 

"  No,  I  asked  him." 

Mrs.  Evringham  stood  in  silent  amaze,  her  brain 
working  alertly.  She  even  watched  her  daughter  don 
the  immaculate  white  golf  suit,  and  made  no  further 
protest. 

What  was  in  the  girl's  mind  ?  When  finally  from 
her  window  she  saw  the  two  enter  the  brougham,  Mr. 
Evringham  carrying  his  granddaughter's  clubs,  she 
smiled  a  knowing  smile  and  nodded  her  head. 

"  I  do  believe  I  've  wronged  Eloise,"  she  thought. 
"  How  foolish  it  was  to  worry.  I  've  been  wondering 
how  in  the  world  I  was  going  to  get  father  to  give  her 
a  wedding,  and  how  I  was  going  to  get  her  to  accept 
it,  and  now  look  !  That  child  has  thought  of  the  same 
thing,  and  will  manage  it  a  hundred  times  better  than 
I  could." 

Jewel  stood  on  the  steps  and  waved  her  hand  as  the 
brougham  rolled  away.  Eloise  had  seized  and  squeezed 
her  surreptitiously  in  the  hall  before  they  came  out. 

"  I  do  feel  braced  up,  Jewel.  Thank  you,"  she 
whispered  hurriedly. 

"  Is  the  man  over  at  the  golf  links  ?  "  asked  the  child, 
surprised  to  see  that  Eloise  and  her  grandfather  were 
going  out  together. 

"  He  will  be  by  the  time  I  get  there,"  returned  the  girl. 

As  soon  as  the  carriage  door  had  closed  and  they 
had  started,  Eloise  spoke.  "  You  must  think  it  very 
strange  that  I  asked  this  of  you,  grandfather." 

There  was  a  hint  of  violets  clinging  to  the  fresh 
white  garments  that  brushed  Mr.  Evrmgham's  knee. 


26-4  JEWEL 

"  I  would  not  question  the  gifts  the  gods  provide," 
lie  returned. 

She  seemed  able  to  rise  above  fear  of  his  sarcasms. 
"  Not  that  you  would  be  surprised  at  anything  mother 
or  I  might  ask  of  you,"  she  continued  bravely,  "  but 
I  have  suffered,  I  'm  sure,  as  much  as  you  have  during 
the  last  two  months." 

"  Indeed  ?     I  regret  to  hear  that." 
If  there  was  a  sting  in  this  reply,  Eloise  refused  to 
recognize  it. 

"  In  fact  I  have  felt  so  much  that  it  has  made 
it  impossible  hitherto  to  say  anything,  but  Jewel  has 
given  me  courage." 

Mr.  Evringham  smoothed  his  mustache.  "  She  has 
plenty  to  spare,"  he  returned. 

"  She  says,"  went  on  Eloise,  "  that  everything  that 
is  n't  love  is  hate  ;  and  hate,  of  course,  in  her  category 
is  unreal.  It  is  because  I  want  the  real  things,  because 
I  long  for  real  things,  for  truth,  that  I  asked  to  have 
this  talk,  grandfather,  and  I  wanted  to  be  quite  alone 
with  you,  so  I  thought  of  this  way." 

"  It 's  the  mater  she  's  running  away  from,  then," 
reflected  her  companion.  He  nodded  courteously.  "  I 
am  at  your  disposal,"  he  returned. 

Subtly  the  broker's  feeling  toward  Eloise  had  been 
changing  since  the  evening  in  which  Jewel  wrote  to  her 
parents.  His  hard  and  fast  opinion  of  her  had  been 
slightly  shaken.  The  frankness  of  her  remarks  on 
Christian  Science  in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Ballard  the 
other  evening  had  been  a  surprise  to  him.  The  cold, 
proud,  noncommittal,  ease-loving  girl  who  in  his  opin 
ion  had  decided  to  marry  the  young  doctor  was  either 


AN  EFFORT  FOR    TRUTH  265 

less  designing  than  he  had  believed,  or  else  wonderfully 
certain  of  her  own  power  to  hold  him.  He  found  him 
self  regarding  her  with  new  interest. 

"  I  've  been  waiting  for  mother  to  talk  with  you," 
she  went  on,  "  and  clear  up  our  position  ;  but  she  does 
not,  and  so  I  must."  The  speaker's  hands  were  tightly 
clasped  in  her  lap.  "  I  wish  I  had  Jewel's  unconscious 
ness,  her  certainty  that  all  is  Good,  for  I  feel  —  I  feel 
shame  before  you,  grandfather." 

It  seemed  to  Mr.  Evringham  that  Jewel's  eyes  were 
appealing  to  him. 

"  She  says,"  he  returned  with  a  rather  grim  smile, 
"  Jewel  avers  that  I  am  kindness  itself  inside.  Let 
us  admit  it  for  convenience  now,  and  see  if  you  can't 
speak  freely." 

"  Thank  you.  You  know  what  I  am  ashamed  of : 
staying  here  so  long  ;  imposing  upon  you  ;  taking  every 
thing  for  granted  when  we  have  no  right.  I  want  to 
understand  our  affairs  ;  to  know  if  we  have  anything, 
and  what  it  is ;  to  have  you  help  me,  you  ;  to  have  you 
tell  me  how  we  can  live  independently,  and  help  me  to 
make  mother  agree  to  it.  Oh,  if  you  would  —  if  you 
could  be  my  friend,  grandfather.  I  need  you  so !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  received  this  impetuous  outburst 
without  change  of  countenance.  "  How  about  Ballard?  " 
he  said.  "  I  thought  he  was  going  to  settle  all  this." 

There  was  silence  in  the  brougham.  The  flash  of 
hurt  in  the  girl's  eyes  was  quenched  by  quick  tears. 
Her  companion  reddened  under  the  look  of  surprise 
she  bent  upon  him,  her  lovely  lips  unsteady. 

"  No  offense,"  he  added  hastily.  "  Ballard's  senti 
ments  are  evident  enough,  and  he  is  a  fine  fellow." 


266  JEWEL 

Eloise  controlled  herself.  "  Will  you  take  the  trouble 
to  explain  our  affairs  to  me  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Certainly,"  responded  Mr.  Evringham  quickly. 
"  I  wish  for  your  sake  there  was  more  to  explain,  more 
possibilities  in  the  case." 

"We  have  nothing?  "  exclaimed  the  girl  acutely. 

"  Your  father  took  heavy  chances  and  lost.  His 
affairs  are  nearly  settled,  and  what  there  is  left  is  small 
indeed."  The  speaker  cast  a  quick  glance  at  the  girl 
beside  him.  She  had  caught  her  lip  between  her  teeth. 
Jewel's  soft  voice  sounded  in  his  ears.  "  Cousin  Eloise 
feels  sorry  because  she  is  n't  your  real  relation."  An 
inkling  of  what  the  girl  might  suffer  came  to  him. 

"  Your  mother  and  you  have  a  claim  upon  me,"  he 
went  on.  "I  should  certainly  feel  a  responsibility  of 
all  my  son's  debts,  and  the  one  to  his  wife  and  daughter 
in  particular.  I  will  try  to  make  the  situation  easier 
for  you  in  some  way." 

"  Manage  for  us  to  go  away,  grandfather.  Have  n't 
you  a  little  house  somewhere  ?  " 

The  beseeching  in  her  tone  surprised  Mr.  Evringham 
still  more.  What  did  the  girl  mean?  Didn't  she 
intend  to  marry  Ballard  ?  He  had  believed  her  to 
be  planning  to  preside  in  the  Mountain  Avenue  man 
sion. 

"  Yes,  it  can  be  arranged,  certainly,"  he  answered 
vaguely  ;  "  but  there 's  no  hurry,  Eloise,"  he  added,  in 
the  kindest  tone  he  had  ever  used  toward  her.  "  Some 
evening  we  will  go  over  the  affairs,  and  I  will  show  you 
where  your  mother  stands  financially,  and  we  will  try 
to  make  some  plan  that  shall  be  satisfactory." 

Eloise  gave  him  a  grateful  look,  as  much  in  response 


AN  EFFORT  FOR   TRUTH  267 

to  his  manner  as  to  his  words.  "  Thank  you.  The 
present  condition  is  certainly  —  error,"  she  said. 

"  Well,  we  '11  try  to  find  harmony,"  replied  the 
other.  "Jewel  would  say  it  was  easy.  I  should  like 
to  have  you  remain  at  my  house  at  least  as  long  as 
she  does,  Eloise.  I  should  probably  have  to  tie  her 
hair  ribbons  again  if  you  went." 

The  two  found  themselves  smiling  at  each  other. 
The  atmosphere  was  lightened,  and  the  brougham  drew 
up  at  the  clubhouse. 

Mr.  Evringham  handed  out  the  girl,  gave  Zeke  the 
order  to  return  for  them,  and  they  went  up  the  steps. 

"  I  would  drive  back  with  him,  grandfather,  only 
that  mother  would  wonder,  and  ask  questions,"  said 
Eloise.  "  Don't  let  me  detain  you  in  any  way.  I  '11 
just  sit  here  on  the  piazza." 

"  Not  play  ?  Nonsense !  "  returned  Mr.  Evringham 
brusquely. 

"  Please  don't  feel  obliged  "  —  Eloise  began  humbly. 

"  But  I  can't  help  being  obliged  if  you  '11  play  with 
me,"  interrupted  her  companion. 

Some  men  observed  the  confidential  attitude  of  the 
broker  and  the  beautiful  girl.  "  What 's  doing  over 
there  ?  "  asked  one.  "  Is  Evringham  beginning  to  take 
notice  ?  " 

"  Why,  don't  you  know  ? "  returned  the  other. 
"  That 's  his  granddaughter." 

"  His  daughter,  do  you  mean  ?  Did  n't  know  he 
had  one." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.     She  's  Lawrence's  stepdaughter." 

The  other  shook  his  head.  "  That 's  too  involved 
for  me.  She  's  a  queen,  anyway." 


268  JEWEL 

"  Going  to  marry  Ballard,  they  say." 

"  That  so  ?  Then  I  won't  go  up  and  fall  on  Evring. 
ham's  neck.  My  bank  book  is  n't  in  Ballard's  class. 
She  can  play,  too,"  as  he  observed  Eloise  make  a  drive 
while  she  waited  the  reappearance  of  her  companion 
from  the  clubhouse.  "  Is  n't  that  a  bird !  —  and  say, 
there 's  young  Lochinvar  himself  !  "  for  here  a  light 
automobile  whizzed  briskly  up  to  the  clubhouse. 

Dr.  Ballard  sprang  out,  for  he  had  recognized  the 
figure  at  the  first  teeing  ground. 

"  You  gave  me  the  slip  !  "  he  cried  as  he  approached. 

"  Oh,  I  just  went  with  a  handsomer  man,"  returned 
Eloise,  smiling,  as  they  shook  hands. 

"  I  did  n't  know  I  could  come  until  the  last  minute, 
then  I  went  to  the  house  for  you  and  found  I  had 
missed  you." 

Mr.  Evringham  and  the  caddy  approached.  "  I  cut 
you  out  for  once,  Ballard,"  he  said.  "  Well,  we  're  off. 
Eloise.  I  saw  you  drive.  I  doubt  if  he  catches  us." 

Jewel's  eyes  questioned  Eloise  that  evening  when 
she  reached  home,  and  she  received  the  smiling,  signifi 
cant  nod  her  cousin  gave  her  with  satisfaction. 

It  was  an  apparently  united  family  party  that  gath 
ered  about  the  dinner  table.  Mr.  Evringham  and 
Eloise  discussed  their  game,  while  Mrs.  Evringham 
fairly  rustled  with  complacence. 

As  Jewel  clung  to  her  grandfather's  neck  that  even 
ing  in  bidding  him  good-night,  she  whispered :  — 

"  How  happy  we  all  are  !  " 

"  Are  we,  really  ?  Well  now,  that 's  very  gratifying, 
I  'm  sure.  Good-night,  Jewel." 


CHAPTER  XXII 

IN    THE    HARNESS    ROOM 

"  MOTHER,  can  I  have  three  dollars  ?  "  asked  Eloise 
the  next  morning. 

"  Were  you  thinking  of  a  new  riding  hat,  dear  ?  I 
do  wish  you  had  it  to  wear  this  afternoon.  Yours  is 
shabby,  certainly,  but  you  can't  get  it  for  that,  child." 

"  No  ;  I  was  thinking  of  a  copy  of  '  Science  and  • 
Health.'     I  don't  like  to  take  Jewel's  any  longer,  and 
I  'm  convinced." 

"  What  of  —  sin  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Evringham  in  dismay. 

"  No,  just  the  opposite  —  that  there  need  n't  be  any. 
This  book  teaches  the  truth.  I  know  it." 

"  Well,  whether  it  does  or  does  n't,  you  have  n't  any 
three  dollars  to  spend  for  a  book,  Eloise,"  was  the  firm 
reply.  "  The  idea,  when  I  can  barely  rake  and  scrape 
enough  together  to  keep  us  presentable !  " 

"  Where  do  you  get  our  money  ?  "  asked  the  girl. 

"  Father  gives  me  a  check  every  fortnight.  Of 
course  you  know  that  he  has  charge  of  our  affairs." 

Eloise's  serene  expression  did  not  change.  She 
looked  at  the  little  black  book  in  her  hand.  "  This 
edition  costs  five  dollars,"  she  said. 

"  Scandalous  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Evringham.  "  I 
can  tell  you  this  is  no  time  for  us  to  be  collecting 
Editions  de  luxe.  Wait  till  you  're  married." 


270  JEWEL 

"  I  'm  going  to  run  in  town  for  a  while  this  morning, 
mother." 

"You  are?  Well  don't  get  belated.  You  know 
that  you  are  to  ride  with  Dr.  Ballard  at  half  past  four. 
Dear  me,"  her  brow  drawn,  "  you  ought  to  have  that 
hat.  Now  I  think  that  I  could  get  on  without  that  jet 
bolero." 

Eloise  laughed  softly  and  drew  her  mother  to  her. 
"  Have  your  jet  bolero,  dear,"  she  answered.  "  My 
hat  is  n't  bad." 

Eloise  went  to  her  room,  and  closing  the  door,  took 
from  one  of  her  drawers  a  box.  It  contained  her  girl 
ish  treasures,  the  ornaments  and  jewels  her  father  had 
given  her  from  time  to  time.  She  took  out  a  small 
diamond  ring  and  pressed  it  to  her  lips. 

"  Dear  papa !  I  love  it  because  you  gave  it  to  me, 
but  I  can  get  with  it  a  wonderful  thing,  a  truth  which, 
if  we  had  known  it,  would  have  saved  you  all  those  tor 
turing  hours,  would  have  saved  your  dear  life.  I  know 
how  gladly  you  would  have  me  get  it  now,  for  you  are 
learning  it  too  ;  and  it  will  be  your  gift,  dear,  dear 
papa,  your  gift  just  the  same." 

Jewel  had  to  study  the  lesson  with  only  Anna  Belle's 
assistance  that  morning,  but  she  received  the  third 
letter  from  her  mother  and  father.  Their  trip  was 
proving  a  success  from  the  standpoints  of  both  business 
and  pleasure,  but  their  chief  longing  was  to  get  back  to 
their  little  girl. 

It  was  very  like  visiting  with  them  to  read  it  over, 
and  Jewel  did  so  more  than  once.  "  I  '11  show  it  to 
cousin  Eloise  as  soon  as  she  comes  home,"  she  reflected. 
Then  she  dressed  Anna  Belle  to  go  out. 


IN  THE  HARNESS  ROOM  271 

Running  downstairs  the  child  sought  and  found  Mrs. 
Forbes  in  the  kitchen.  The  housekeeper  no  longer 
questioned  her  going  and  coming,  although  she  still 
considered  herself  in  the  light  of  the  child's  only  dis 
ciplinarian,  and  was  vigilant  to  watch  for  errors  of 
omission  and  commission,  and  quick  to  correct  them. 

"  Mrs.  Forbes,  may  I  have  an  old  kitchen  knife  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not.     You  '11  cut  yourself." 

"  I  want  it  to  dig  up  plants." 

Mrs.  Forbes  stared  down  at  her.  "  Why,  you 
must  n't  do  any  such  thing." 

"  I  mean  wild  flowers  for  a  garden  that  Anna  Belle 
and  I  are  going  to  make." 

"  Oh.     I  '11  see  if  I  can't  find  you  a  trowel." 

There  was  one  at  hand,  and  as  the  housekeeper 
passed  it  to  the  child  she  warned  her  :  — 

"  Be  careful  you  don't  make  a  mistake,  now,  and 
get  hold  of  anybody's  plants.  What  did  your  cousin 
Eloise  go  to  New  York  for  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Well  I  hope  it 's  for  her  trousseau." 

Jewel  smiled.     "  My  mother  makes  those." 

"  I  don't  believe  she  '11  ever  make  one  for  you,  then," 
returned  Mrs.  Forbes,  but  not  ill-naturedly.  She 
laughed,  glancing  at  Sarah,  who  stood  by. 

"  But  I  think  she  will  for  Anna  Belle,"  returned 
Jewel  brightly,  "  when  she  gets  older." 

The  housekeeper  and  maid  both  laughed.  "  Run 
along,"  said  Mrs.  Forbes,  "  and  don't  you  be  late  for 
lunch." 

"  She  's  an  awful  sweet  child,"  said  Sarah  half 
reproachfully.  "  Just  the  spirit  of  sunshine." 


272  JEWEL 

"  Oh  well,  they  'd  turn  her  head  here  if  it  was  n't 
for  me,"  answered  the  other  complacently. 

Jewel  was  not  late  to  lunch,  but  eating  it  tete-a-tete 
with  aunt  Madge  was  not  to  her  taste. 

Mrs.  Evringham  utilized  the  opportunity  to  admon 
ish  her,  and  Mrs.  Forbes  for  once  sympathized  with  the 
widow's  sentiments. 

Aunt  Madge  took  off  her  eyeglasses  in  a  way  she 
had  when  she  wished  to  be  particularly  impressive. 

"  Jewel,"  she  said,  "  I  don't  think  any  one  has  told 
you  that  it  is  impolite  to  Dr.  Ballard  to  say  anything 
about  Christian  Science  in  his  presence." 

"  Why  is  it?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Because  he  is  a  learned  physician,  and  has,  of  course, 
a  great  respect  for  his  profession." 

"  I  have  a  great  respect  for  him,"  returned  the  child, 
"  and  he  knows  I  would  n't  hurt  his  feelings." 

"  The  idea !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Evringham,  looking 
down  from  a  height  upon  the  flaxen  head.  "  As  if 
a  little  ignorant  girl  could  hurt  the  feelings  of  a  man 
like  Dr.  Ballard  !  " 

Mrs.  Forbes  also  stared  at  the  child,  and  she  winced. 

"  I  do  love  them,  and  they  do  love  me,"  she  thought. 
"  I  don't  remember  ever  speaking  about  it  before  the 
doctor  unless  somebody  asked  me,"  she  said  aloud. 

"  Your  cousin  Eloise  may  ask  you,"  returned  Mrs. 
Evringham.  "  Nobody  else  would.  She  does  it  in  a 
spirit  of  mischief,  perhaps,  but  I  shall  speak  to  her. 
She  has  a  passing  curiosity  about  your  ideas  because  it 
is  odd  and  rather  amusing  to  find  a  child  who  has  such 
unnatural  and  precocious  fancies,  and  she  tries  to  draw 
you  out ;  but  it  will  not  last  with  her.  Neither  will  it 


IN  THE  HARNESS  ROOM  273 

with  you,  probably.  You  seem  to  be  a  sensible  little 
girl  in  many  ways."  Mrs.  Evringham  made  the  addition 
magnanimously.  She  really  was  too  much  at  peace 
with  all  the  world  just  now  to  like  to  be  severe. 

Outwardly  Jewel  was  silent.  Inwardly  she  was  de 
claring  many  things  which  would  have  surprised  her 
companions. 

"  Does  your  cousin  Eloise  pretend  to  you  that  she  is 
becoming  seriously  interested  in  your  faith  ?  "  pursued 
Mrs.  Evringham. 

"  She  will  tell  you  all  about  it,"  returned  Jewel. 

Aunt  Madge  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  laughed  a 
little.  Her  thoughts  reverted  to  her  daughter's  trip  to 
the  city.  She  had  wondered  several  times  if  it  had  any 
pleasant  connection  with  her  sudden  good  understand 
ing  with  Mr.  Evringham. 

To  Jewel's  relief  her  thoughts  remained  preoccupied 
during  the  remainder  of  the  meal ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
child  could  leave,  she  flew  to  the  closet  under  the  stairs, 
where  Anna  Belle  often  went  into  retreat  during  the 
luncheon  hour,  and  from  thence  back  to  the  garden  she 
was  making  by  the  brookside. 

When  she  returned  to  the  house  her  eyes  lighted  as 
she  saw  two  horses  before  the  piazza,  and  Dr.  Ballard 
standing  beside  one  of  them. 

"  How  are  you,  Jewel  ?  "  he  asked,  as  she  danced  up 
to  him  smiling.  Stooping,  he  lifted  her  into  the  side 
saddle,  from  whence  she  beamed  upon  him. 

"  Oh,  what  fun  you  're  going  to  have !  "  she  cried. 

"  I  'd  like  to  be  sure  of  that,"  he  answered,  his  gloved 
hand  on  the  pommel. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  incredulously.     "  You  don't 


274  JEWEL 

like  that  automobile  better,  do  you  ?  They  're  so  —  so 
stubby.  I  must  have  a  horse,  a  horse !  "  She  smoothed 
and  patted  her  steed  lovingly. 

"  You  ought  to  have  — Jewel  of  the  world,"  he  said 
kindly.  "  My  bad  angel ! "  he  added,  looking  up 
quizzically  into  her  eyes,  and  smiling  at  the  widening 
wonder  that  grew  in  them. 

"Your  —  what?"  she  asked,  and  then  Eloise  came 
out  in  her  habit. 

"  I  'm  going  instead  of  you,"  cried  the  child  gayly, 
"  to  pay  you  for  staying  away  all  day." 

"  Did  you  miss  me  ?  "  asked  the  girl  as  she  shook 
hands  with  her  escort. 

"  I  tried  not  to.  Anna  Belle  and  I  have  something 
to  show  you  in  the  ravine."  As  she  spoke,  Jewel  slid 
down  into  the  doctor's  arms,  and  stood  on  the  steps 
watching  while  he  put  Eloise  up  and  mounted  himself. 

The  child's  eyes  dwelt  upon  the  pair  admiringly  as 
they  waved  their  hands  to  her  and  rode  away.  Little 
she  knew  how  their  hearts  were  beating.  Mrs.  Ev- 
ringham,  watching  from  an  upper  window,  suspected  it. 
She  felt  that  this  afternoon  would  end  all  suspense. 

The  child  gave  a  wistful  sigh  as  the  horses  disappeared, 
and  jumping  off  the  piazza,  she  wandered  around  the 
house  toward  the  stable.  There  had  been  no  rules  laid 
down  to  her  since  the  night  of  Essex  Maid's  attack, 
and  Zeke  was  always  a  congenial  companion  - 

As  she  neared  the  barn  a  young  fellow  left  it,  laugh 
ing.  She  knew  who  he  was,  —  one  of  the  young  men 
Zeke  had  known  in  Boston.  He  had  several  times  of 
late  come  to  call  on  his  old  chum,  for  he  was  out  of 
work. 


7^  THE  HARNESS  ROOM  275 

As  he  left  the  barn  he  saw  the  child  and  slouched 
off  to  one  side,  avoiding  her  ;  but  she  scarcely  noticed 
him,  congratulating  herself  that  Zeke  would  be  alone 
and  ready,  as  usual,  to  crack  jokes  and  stories. 

The  coachman  was  not  in  sight  as  she  entered,  but 
she  knew  she  would  find  him  in  the  harness  room. 
Its  door  stood  ajar,  and  as  the  child  approached  she 
heard  a  strange  sound,  as  of  some  one  weeping  suppres- 
sedly.  Sturdily  resisting  the  sudden  fear  that  swept 
to  her  heart,  she  pushed  open  the  door. 

There  stood  Mrs.  Forbes,  leaning  against  a  wooden 
support,  her  forehead  resting  against  her  clasped  hands 
in  a  hopeless  posture,  as  she  sobbed  heavily.  The  air 
was  filled  with  an  odor  which  had  for  Jewel  sickening 
associations.  The  only  terror,  the  only  tragedy,  of  her 
short  life  was  wrapped  about  with  this  pungent  smell. 
She  seemed  again  to  hear  her  mother's  sobs,  to  feel 
once  more  that  sensation  of  all  things  coming  to  ruin 
which  descended  upon  her  at  the  unprecedented  sight 
and  sound  of  her  strong  mother's  emotion. 

All  at  once  she  perceived  Zeke  sitting  on  a  low 
chair,  his  arms  hanging  across  his  knees  and  his  head 
fallen. 

The  child  turned  very  pale.  Her  doll  slid  unnoticed 
to  the  floor,  as  she  pressed  her  little  hands  to  her  eyes. 

"  Father,  Mother,  God,"  she  murmured  in  gasps. 
"  Thou  art  all  power.  We  are  thy  children.  Error 
has  no  power  over  us.  Help  us  to  waken  from  this 
lie." 

Running  up  to  the  housekeeper,  she  clasped  her  arms 
about  her  convulsed  form.  "  Dear  Mrs.  Forbes,"  she 
said,  her  soft  voice  trembling  at  first  but  growing  firm, 


276  JEWEL  ' 

"  I  know  this  claim,  but  it  can  be  healed.  It  seems 
very  terrible,  but  it 's  nothing.  We  know  it,  we  must 
know  it." 

The  woman  lifted  her  head  and  looked  down  with 
swollen  eyes  upon  the  child.  She  saw  her  go  unhesi 
tatingly  across  to  Zeke  and  kneel  beside  him. 

"Don't  be  discouraged,  Zeke,"  she  said  lovingly. 
«'  I  know  how  it  seems,  but  my  father  had  it  and  he 
was  healed.  You  will  be  healed." 

The  coachman  lifted  his  rumpled  head  and  stared  at 
her  with  bloodshot  eyes. 

"  Great  fuss  'bout  nothing,"  he  said  sullenly. 
"  Mother  always  fussing." 

Something  in  his  look  made  the  child  shudder.  Re 
sisting  the  sudden  repugnance  to  one  who  had  always 
shown  her  kindness,  she  impulsively  took  his  big  hand 
in  both  her  little  ones.  "  Zeke,  what  is  error  saying  to 
you  ?  "  she  demanded.  "  You  can't  look  at  me  with 
out  love.  I  love  you  because  God  does.  He  is  lifting 
us  out  of  this  error  belief." 

The  young  fellow  returned  the  clasp  of  the  soft 
hands  and  winked  his  eyes  like  one  who  is  waking. 
"  Mother  makes  great  fuss,"  he  grumbled.  "  Scott 
was  here.  We  had  two  or  three  little  friendly  drinks. 
Ma  had  to  come  in  and  blubber" 

"  What  friendly  drinks  ?  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 
demanded  Jewel,  looking  all  about  her.  Her  eyes  fell 
upon  a  large  black  bottle.  She  dropped  the  coachman's 
hand  and  picked  it  up.  She  smelled  of  it,  her  eyes 
dilated,  and  she  began  to  tremble  again  ;  and  throw 
ing  the  whiskey  from  her,  she  buried  her  face  for  a 
moment  against  Zeke's  shirt  sleeve. 


IN  THE  HARNESS  ROOM  277 

"  Is  it  in  a  bottle  ! "  she  exclaimed  at  last,  in  a 
hushed  voice,  drawing  back  and  regarding  the  coach 
man  with  such  a  white  and  horrified  countenance  that 
it  frightened  the  clouds  from  his  brain.  "  Is  that  ter 
rible  claim  in  a  bottle,  and  do  people  drink  it  out  ?  " 
she  asked  slowly,  and  in  an  awestruck  tone. 

"  It  's  no  harm,"  began  Zeke. 

"  No  harm  when  your  mother  is  crying,  when  your 
face  is  full  of  error,  and  your  eyes  were  hating?  No 
harm  when  my  mother  cried,  and  all  our  gladness  was 
gone  ?  Would  you  go  and  drink  a  claim  like  that  out 
of  a  bottle  —  of  your  own  accord  ?  " 

Zeke  wriggled  under  the  blue  eyes  and  the  unnatural 
rigidity  of  the  child's  face. 

"  No,  Jewel,  he  would  n't,"  groaned  Mrs.  Forbes 
suddenly.  "  Zeke  's  a  good  boy,  but  he 's  inherited 
that.  His  father  died  of  it.  It 's  a  disease,  child.  I 
thought  my  boy  would  escape,  but  he  has  n't !  It 's 
the  end  !  "  cried  the  wretched  woman.  "  What  will 
Mr.  Evringham  say  !  To  think  how  I  blamed  Fan- 
shaw !  Zeke  '11  lose  his  place  and  go  downhill,  and  I 
shall  die  of  shame  and  despair."  Her  sobs  again  shook 
her  from  head  to  foot. 

Jewel  continued  to  look  at  Zeke.  A  new,  eager 
expression  stole  over  her  face.  "  Is  it  the  end  ?  "  she 
asked.  "  Don't  you  believe  in  God  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  so,"  answered  the  coachman  sullenly. 
"  I  know  I  'in  a  man,  too.  I  can  control  myself." 

"  No.  Nobody  can.  Even  Jesus  said,  '  Of  myself 
I  can  do  nothing.'  Only  God  can  help  you.  If  you 
can  drink  that  nasty  smelling  stuff,  and  get  all  red  and 
rumply  and  sorry,  then  you  need  God  the  worst  of 


278  JEWEL 

anybody  in  Bel- Air.  You  look  better  now.  It 's  just 
like  a  dream,  the  way  you  lifted  up  your  face  to  me 
when  I  came  in,  and  it  was  a  dream.  I  '11  help  you, 
Zeke.  I  '11  show  you  how  to  find  help."  The  child 
suddenly  leaned  toward  the  young  fellow,  and  then  re 
treated.  "  I  can't  stand  your  breath !  "  she  exclaimed, 
"  and  I  like  to  get  close  to  the  people  I  love." 

This  seemed  to  touch  Zeke.  He  blushed  hotly. 
"  It 's  a  darned  shame,  kid,"  he  returned  sheepishly. 

"  Mrs.  Forbes,  come  here,  please,"  said  Jewel.  The 
housekeeper  had  ceased  crying,  and  was  watching  the 
pair.  She  saw  that  her  boy's  senses  were  clearer.  She 
approached  obediently,  and  when  the  child  took  her 
hand  her  own  closed  tightly  upon  the  little  fingers. 

"  Zeke,  you  're  a  big  strong  man  and  everybody  likes 
you,"  said  Jewel  earnestly.  "  Is  n't  it  better  to  stay 
that  way  than  to  drink  out  of  a  bottle,  no  matter  how 
much  you  like  it  ?  " 

"  I  don't  like  it  so  awfully,"  returned  Zeke  pro- 
testingly.  "  I  like  to  be  sociable  with  the  boys,  that 's 
all." 

"  What  a  way  to  be  sociable !  "  gasped  the  child. 
"  Well,  would  n't  you  rather  be  nice,  so  people  will 
like  to  get  close  to  you  ?  " 

"  Depends  on  the  folks,"  returned  the  boy  with  a 
touch  of  his  usual  manner.  "  You  're  all  right,  little 
kid."  He  put  out  his  hand,  but  quickly  withdrew  it. 

Jewel  seized  it.  "  Now  give  your  other  one  to  your 
mother.  There  now,  we  're  all  together.  If  your  mo 
ther  thinks  you  have  a  disease,  Zeke,  then  she  must 
know  you  have  n't.  If  you  want  me  to,  I  '11  come  out 
here  every  day  at  a  quiet  time  and  give  you  a  treatment, 


IN  THE  HARNESS  ROOM  279 

and  we  '11  talk  all  about  Christian  Science,  and  we  '11 
know  that  there  's  nothing  that  can  make  us  sick  or 
unhappy  —  or  unkind !  Think  of  your  unkindness 
to  your  mother  —  and  to  me  if  you  go  on,  for  I  love 
you,  Zeke.  Now  may  I  help  you  ?  " 

The  soft  frank  voice,  the  earnest  little  face,  moved 
Zeke  to  cast  a  glance  at  his  mother's  swollen  eyes. 
They  were  bent  upon  Jewel. 

"  Do  you  say  your  father  was  cured  that  way, 
child  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Forbes. 

"  Yes.     Oh  yes !  and  he 's  so  happy !  " 

"  Zeke,  let 's  all  be  thankful  if  there  's  anything" 
said  the  woman  tremulously,  turning  to  him  appealingly. 

"  I  'd  just  as  soon  have  a  visit  from  you  every  day, 
little  kid,"  said  the  young  fellow.  "  You  're  a  corker." 

"  But  you  must  want  more  than  me,"  returned  the 
child.  "  God  and  healing  and  purity  and  goodness ! 
If  you  're  in  earnest,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with 
that?"  She  touched  the  black  bottle  with  the  toe  of 
her  shoe. 

Zeke  looked  at  the  whiskey,  then  back  into  her  eyes. 
They  were  full  of  love  and  faith  for  him. 

He  stooped  and  picked  up  the  bottle,  then  striding 
to  a  window,  he  flung  it  out  toward  the  forest  trees 
with  all  the  force  of  his  strong  arm. 

"  Damn  the  stuff!  "  he  said. 

Mrs.  Forbes  felt  herself  tremble  from  head  to  foot. 
She  bit  her  lip. 

Her  son  turned  back.  "  Getting  near  train  time," 
he  added,  not  looking  at  his  companions.  "  Guess  I  '11 
go  upstairs." 

When  he  had  disappeared  his  mother  stooped  slowly 


280  JEWEL 

and  kissed  Jewel.  "Forgive  me,"  she  said  tremu 
lously. 

"  What  for  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Everything." 

The  housekeeper  still  stood  in  the  harness  room 
after  Jewel  had  gone  away.  She  bowed  her  head  on 
her  folded  hands.  "  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven, 
forgive  me,"  she  prayed.  "  Forgive  me  for  being  a 
fool.  Forgive  me  for  not  recognizing  Thine  angel 
whom  Thou  hast  sent.  Amen." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S  CALLER 

MRS.  EVRINGHAM  was  busily  chewing  the  cud  of  sweet 
fancies  only,  that  afternoon.  Following  the  equestrians 
in  their  leafy  woodland  path,  she  pictured  them  as  talk 
ing  of  their  future,  and  herself  built  many  castles  in  the 
air.  "Ah,"  she  thought  sentimentally,  leaning  back 
in  her  reclining  chair,  "  how  charming  is  youth  —  with 
plenty  of  money  !  " 

She  was  roused  from  these  luxurious  meditations  by 
the  appearance  of  Sarah,  bearing  a  card  on  a  salver. 

"  A  man!  "  she  exclaimed  with  annoyance.  "  I  'm 
not  dressed." 

Lifting  the  card,  she  read  it  with  a  start. 

«  Mr.  Nathan  Wycliffe  Bonnell." 

"  Tell  him  I  '11  be  down  soon,"  was  all  she  said  ;  but 
her  thoughts  ran  swiftly  as  she  hurriedly  slipped  into 
her  gown.  "  How  in  the  world  comes  the  boy  out  here  ? 
Just  as  well  that  Eloise  is  away.  It  would  only  be 
painful  to  her,  all  the  old  associations."  But  old  asso 
ciations  cropped  up  more  and  more  enticingly  for  Mrs. 
Evringham  as  she  made  her  swift  toilet,  and  by  the 
time  she  reached  the  drawing-room  her  eagerness  lent 
her  cordiality  a  very  genuine  tone. 

"  Nat,  dear  boy,  how  are  you  ?  " 

The  young  man  who  rose  eagerly  to  meet  her  would 


282  JEWEL 

have  been  noticeable  in  any  crowd.  She  gazed  Tip  into 
his  smooth-shaven,  frank  face,  with  its  alert  eyes  and 
strong  chin,  and  felt  a  yearning  affection  for  all  which 
he  represented  to  her.  "What  are  you  doing  out 
here?" 

"  Visiting  you  and  Eloise,"  he  answered,  with  the 
hearty  relish  which  always  characterized  his  manner 
when  circumstances  were  agreeable.  "  Where  is  she  ?  " 

"  Riding.  I  don't  know  when  they  will  come  home, 
either.  It 's  such  a  charming  day,  is  n't  it  ?  So  good 
of  you  to  hunt  us  up,  Nat.  We  've  been  out  of  the 
world  so  long.  I  can't  tell  you  what  a  rush  of  memo 
ries  comes  over  me  at  sight  of  you,  you  nice,  big 
boy.  I  do  believe  you  've  been  growing."  She  gave 
a  glance  of  approval  at  the  young  man's  stalwart  pro 
portions. 

"  Oh,  don't  humiliate  me,"  he  laughed,  as  she  drew 
him  to  a  divan,  where  they  seated  themselves. 

"  How  could  you  get  away  at  this  hour  ?  " 

"  I  'm  changing  my  business,  and  get  a  week's  vaca 
tion  thereby.  Great  luck,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so.     Are  you  going  to  do  better  ?  " 

"  Much  better.  It 's  only  a  little  matter  of  time 
now,  Mrs.  Evringham  —  automobiles,  steam  yachts, 
and  all  the  rest  of  it." 

"  Ah,  the  optimism  of  youth  !  "  she  sighed,  gazing  at 
the  dancing  lights  in  his  eyes.  "  It 's  very  beautiful, 
and  usually  entirely  unfounded.  You  look  so  radiant, 
my  dear.  Perhaps  you  have  come  out  here  to  let  us 
congratulate  you.  Have  you  found  that  desirable  girl  ? 
I  certainly  should  be  the  first  to  be  told,  for  I  always 
talked  to  you  very  plainly,  did  n't  I  ?  " 


MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S   CALLER  283 

"  Indeed  you  did,  Mrs.  Evringham.  You  always 
kept  my  ineligibility  before  me  strenuously." 

"  A  certain  sort  of  ineligibility,  dear  boy,"  returned 
the  lady  with  a  flattering  cadence.  "  Your  capital  did 
not  happen  to  consist  of  money.  Tell  me  all,  Nat. 
Who  is  she  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  She  's  still  not  impossible, 
but  improbable,"  he  returned. 

"  Oh,  you  are  too  difficult,  my  dear.  Really,  I 
thought  at  the  time  our  misfortunes  fell  upon  us  that  it 
was  going  to  be  Miss  Caton.  She  would  have  been  a 
great  assistance  to  you,  Nat.  It  is  n't  as  if  you  could 
even  afford  to  be  a  bachelor.  In  these  days  so  much 
is  expected  of  them.  How  is  your  mother  ?  "  Mrs. 
Evringham  made  the  addition  in  that  tone  of  fixed 
sympathy  which  one  employs  when  only  a  depressing 
answer  can  be  expected. 

"  Very  well,  thank  you." 

"  You  mean  as  well  as  usual,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  I  mean  well.     Wonderful,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Really,  Nat  ?  "  Mrs.  Evringham  straightened  up 
in  her  interest.  "Who  did  it?" 

"  She  was  healed  by  Christian  Science." 

"  You  don't  mean  it !  " 

"  Indeed  I  do." 

Mrs.  Evringham  thanked  her  lucky  stars  that  Eloise 
was  absent. 

"  Well,  I  never  for  one  moment  classed  your  mother 
as  a  malade  imaginaire  !  "  exclaimed  the  lady. 

Her  companion  raised  his  eyebrows.  "  I  fancy  no 
one  did  who  knew  her." 

"  You  believe  it,  then  ?  " 


284  JEWEL 

"  I  should  be  an  idiot  if  I  did  n't." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  she  is  out  of  her  wheeled 
chair  V  " 

"  No  chairs  for  her  now.  When  she  wishes  to  walk 
she  walks." 

"  Then  she  always  could !  "  declared  Mrs.  Evringham. 

"  I  think  you  know  better  than  that,"  returned  the 
other  calmly. 

"  How  long  since  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Evringham. 

"  Three  months." 

Silence. 

"  Are  n't  you  glad  for  her  ?  "  asked  Bonnell  with  a 
slight  smile  of  curiosity  into  the  disturbed  face.  "  I 
ought  to  have  told  you  at  first  that  osteopathy  did 
it ;  then  after  your  joy  had  subsided,  break  the  truth 
gently." 

"  Of  course  I  'm  glad,"  returned  the  other  stiffly, 
"  but  I  'd  rather  Eloise  did  not  hear  of  it  at  once." 

"  May  I  know  why  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  We  have  a  very  dear  friend  who  is 
a  physician.  It  looks  very  much  as  if  he  might  be 
something  nearer  than  a  friend.  It  is  he  with  whom 
Eloise  is  riding  this  afternoon.  It  is  very  distasteful, 
naturally,  to  have  these  alleged  cures  discussed  in  our 
family.  We  have  had  some  annoyance  in  that  line  al 
ready.  You  can  understand  how  doctors  must  feel." 

"  Yes,  so  long  as  they  believe  a  cure  to  be  only 
alleged ;  but  where  one  is  convinced  that  previously 
hopeless  conditions  have  been  healed,  and  it  does  hap 
pen  once  in  a  while,  they  are  glad  of  it,  I  'm  confident. 
We  have  n't  a  finer,  broader  minded  class  of  men  in 
our  country  than  our  physicians." 


MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S   CALLER  285 

"  I  think  so,"  agreed  Mrs.  Evringham,  drawing  her 
self  up,  with  a  fleeting  vision  of  the  Ballard  place  on 
Mountain  Avenue. 

"  But  they  are  not  the  wealthiest  at  the  start,"  said 
Nat.  "  Is  it  possible  you  are  allowing  Eloise  to  ride 
unchaperoned  with  a  young  physician  ?  " 

Mrs.  Evringham  did  not  remark  the  threatening 
curves  at  the  corners  of  the  speaker's  lips. 

"  Oh,  this  one  is  different,"  she  returned  seriously ; 
"  very  fine  connections,  and  substantial  in  every  way." 

Her  companion  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed 
frankly. 

"  We  have  to  smile  at  each  other  once  in  a  while, 
don't  we,  Mrs.  Evringham  ?  "  he  said,  in  the  light,  ca 
ressing  manner  which  had  for  a  few  years  been  one  of 
her  chief  worries;  "but  all  the  same,  you're  fond  of 
me  just  as  long  as  I  don't  forget  my  place,  eh  ?  You  're 
glad  to  see  me  ?  " 

"  You  know  I  am."  Mrs.  Evringham  pressed  her 
hand  against  the  laces  over  her  heart.  "  Such  a  bitter 
sweet  feeling  comes  over  me  at  the  very  tones  of  your 
voice.  Oh,  the  happy  past,  Nat !  Gone  forever !  " 
She  touched  a  dainty  handkerchief  to  her  eyes.  "  I 
suppose  your  mother  is  still  in  her  apartment  ?  " 

"  She  has  taken  a  place  at  View  Point  for  the  sum 
mer,  and  has  set  her  heart  on  a  long  visit  from  you." 

"  How  very  kind  of  her,"  responded  Mrs.  Evringham 
with  genuine  gratitude.  "  I  don't  know  what  father 
means  to  do  in  the  hot  weather  or  whether  he  —  or 
whether  I  should  wish  to  go  with  him.  Your  mother 
and  I  always  enjoyed  each  other,  when  she  was  suffi- 
ciently  free  from  suffering." 


286  JEWEL 

"  That  time  is  always  now,"  returned  Nat,  a  fullness 
of  gratitude  in  his  voice. 

His  companion  looked  at  him  curiously.  "  I  can't 
realize  it." 

"  Come  and  see,"  was  his  reply. 

"  I  will,  I  certainly  will.  I  shall  anticipate  it  with 
great  pleasure." 

A  very  convenient  place  to  prepare  a  part  of  Eloise1  s 
trousseau,  Mrs.  Evringham  was  considering,  and  the 
girl  safely  engaged,  Nat's  presence  would  have  no  ter 
rors.  "  You  think  you  are  really  getting  into  a  good 
business  arrangement  now  ?  "  she  asked  aloud. 

"  Very.  I  wake  up  in  the  morning  wondering  at  my 
own  good  fortune." 

"  I  am  so  glad,  my  dear  boy,"  responded  the  other 
sympathetically.  "  Perhaps,  after  all,  you  will  be  able 
to  wait  for  a  little  more  chin  than  Miss  Caton  has. 
Of  course  she  's  a  very  nice  girl  and  all  that." 

Bonnell  smiled  at  the  carpet. 

They  talked  on  for  half  an  hour  of  mutual  friends 
over  cups  of  tea,  and  then  he  rose  to  go. 

"  Eloise  will  be  sorry !  "  said  Mrs.  Evringham  effu 
sively.  "  It 's  such  a  long  way  out  here  and  so  diffi 
cult  for  you  to  get  the  time.  It  is  n't  as  if  you  could 
come  easily." 

"  Oh,  I  have  several  days  here.  I  'm  staying  at  the 
Reeves's.  Do  you  know  them  ?  " 

"  No,"  returned  the  lady,  trying  to  conceal  that  this 
was  a  blow. 

"  It  is  Mr.  Reeves  with  whom  I  am  going  into  busi 
ness,  and  we  are  doing  some  preliminary  work.  I  shall 
see  Eloise  soon.  Remember  me  to  her." 


MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S  CALLER  287 

"Yes,  certainly,"  replied  Mrs.  Evringham.  She 
kept  a  stiff  upper  lip  until  she  was  alone,  and  then  a 
troubled  line  grew  in  her  forehead. 

"It  will  be  all  right,  of  course,  if  things  are  settled," 
she  thought.  "  I  can  scarcely  wait  for  Eloise  to  come 
home." 

Jewel  had  come  from  the  barn  straight  to  her  room, 
where  she  thought  upon  her  problem  with  the  aids  she 
loved. 

At  last  she  went  downstairs  to  a  side  door  to  watch 
for  Zeke  as  he  drove  from  the  barn  on  his  way  to  the 
station  to  meet  Mr.  Evringham.  As  the  horse  walked 
out  of  the  barn  she  emerged  and  intercepted  the 
coachman . 

Mrs.  Forbes  at  a  window  saw  Zeke  stop.  She  won 
dered  what  Jewel  was  saying  to  him,  wondered  with  a 
humble  gratitude  novel  to  her  dominating  nature. 

"  Wait  one  minute,  Zeke,"  said  the  child.  "  I  Ve 
been  wondering  whether  I  ought  to  say  anything  to 
grandpa." 

"  If  you  do  I  '11  lose  my  place,"  returned  the  young 
fellow ;  "  and  I  've  never  done  wrong  by  the  horses 
yet." 

"  I  know  you  have  n't.  God  has  taken  care  of  you, 
has  n't  he,  Zeke  ?  Do  you  think  it 's  right  for  me  not 
to  tell  grandpa  ?  I  've  decided  that  1 11  do  whatever 
you  say." 

It  was  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  and  the  harmless- 
ness  of  the  dove.  Zeke,  nervously  fingering  the  whip 
handle,  looked  down  into  the  guileless  face  and  mentally 
vowed  never  to  betray  the  trust  he  saw  there. 


288  JEWEL 

"  Then  don't  tell  him,  Jewel,"  he  returned  rather 
thickly,  for  the  fullness  in  his  throat.  "  You  come  out 
to  the  barn  the  way  you  said  you  would,  and  we  '11  talk 
over  things.  I  don't  care  if  the  boys  do  laugh.  I  've 
sworn  off.  I  believe  you  helped  Essex  Maid  the  other 
night.  I  believe  you  can  help  me." 

Jewel's  eyes  were  joyful.  "  If  you  know  you  want 
help,  Zeke,  then  you  '11  get  it.  Mother  says  that 's  the 
first  thing.  Mortal  mind  is  so  proud." 

"  Mine  ain't  strutting  much,"  returned  Zeke  as  he 
drove  on. 

Jewel  amused  herself  about  the  grounds  until  the 
phaeton  should  return  with  her  grandfather. 

When  she  saw  it  coming  she  ran  down  to  the  gate 
and  hopped  and  skipped  back  beside  it,  Mr.  Evringham 
watching  her  gyrations  unsmilingly. 

As  he  dismounted  at  the  piazza  she  clung  to  his 
hand  going  up  the  steps.  "  Which  are  you  going  to 
do,  grandpa,  go  riding  or  play  golf  ?  " 

"  Which  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  When  you  ride  it 's  more  fun  for  me,"  she  replied. 

He  seated  himself  in  one  of  the  chairs  and  she  leaned 
against  its  broad  arm. 

"  It 's  rather  more  fun  for  me,  too.  I  'm  growing 
lazy.  I  think  I  '11  ride." 

"  Good  !  " 

"  What  have  you  been  doing  to-day,  Jewel  ?  '* 

"  Well,"  -  —  meditatively,  —  "  cousin  Eloise  went  to 
New  York,  so  I  had  to  get  my  lesson  alone.  And  I 
did  n't  braid  my  hair  over." 

Mr.  Evringham  looked  startled.  "  She  '11  do  it,  I 
dare  say,  before  dinner,"  he  replied. 


MRS,  EVRINGHAM'S   CALLER  289 

"  If  she  has  time.  She  has  gone  riding  with  Dr. 
Ballard.  They  just  trotted  away  together.  Oh,  it  was 
lovely !  " 

Mr.  Evringham,  leaning  his  head  back,  looked  off 
tinder  his  heavy  brows  as  he  responded  :  — 

"  '  Across  the  hills  and  far  away, 

Beyond  their  utmost  purple  rim, 
And  deep  into  the  dying  day 

The  happy  princess  followed  him,' 

and  all  that  sort  of  business,  I  suppose." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  said  Jewel  doubt- 
fully. 

"  I  should  hope  not.  Well,  what  else  have  you 
done  ?  Been  treating  my  rheumatism  ?  I  have  n't  had 
it  since  the  sun  shone." 

"  You  never  asked  me  to,"  returned  the  child. 

Mr.  Evringham  smiled.  "  The  sunshine  is  a  pretty 
good  treatment,"  he  observed. 

"  Sometimes  your  belief  comes  into  my  thought," 
said  Jewel,  "  and  of  course  I  always  turn  on  it  and 
think  the  truth." 

"  Much  obliged,  I  'm  sure.  I  'd  like  to  turn  on  it 
myself  at  times." 

"  You  can  study  with  cousin  Eloise  and  me,  if  you  'd 
like  to,"  said  Jewel  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  thank  you,"  rejoined  the  broker 
hastily.  "  Don't  disturb  yourself.  There  must  be 
some  sinners,  you  know,  or  the  saints  would  have  to  go 
out  of  business  —  nobody  to  practice  on.  Well,  have 
you  been  to  the  ravine  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  !  Anna  Belle  and  I,  and  we  had  more  fun  ! 
We  made  a  garden." 


290  JEWEL 

"  Morning  or  afternoon  ?  " 

"  Morning." 

"  Well  I  wish  to  know,"  said  Mr.  Evringham  in  a 
suddenly  serious  and  impressive  tone,  "  I  wish  to  know 
if  you  reached  home  in  time  for  lunch." 

Jewel  felt  somewhat  startled  under  the  gaze  of  his 
piercing  eyes,  but  her  conscience  was  clear.  "•  Yes,  I 
was  here  in  plenty  of  time.  I  wanted  to  surely  not  be 
late,  so  I  was  here  too  soon." 

"  That 's  what  I  was  afraid  of,"  returned  Mr.  Evring 
ham  gravely.  "  I  don't  wish  you  to  be  unpunctual,  but 
I  object  equally  to  your  returning  unnecessarily  early 
when  you  wish  to  stay." 

"  But  I  can't  help  it,  grandpa,"  Jewel  began  ear 
nestly,  when  he  interrupted  her. 

"  So  I  've  brought  you  this,"  he  added,  and  took 
from  his  pocket  an  oblong  package,  sealed  at  each 
end. 

The  child  laid  her  doll  in  the  broker's  lap,  —  he  had 
become  hardened  to  this  indignity,  —  and  her  fingers 
broke  the  seals  and  slipped  the  paper  from  a  morocco 
case. 

"  Push  the  spring  in  the  end,"  said  Mr.  Evringham. 

She  obeyed.  The  lid  flew  up  and  disclosed  a  small 
silver  chatelaine  watch.  The  pin  was  a  cherub's  head, 
its  wings  enameled  in  white,  as  were  the  back  and  edges 
of  the  little  timepiece  whose  hands  were  busily  pointing 
to  blue  figures. 

Jewel  gasped.     "  For  me  ?  " 

Her  grandfather  smoothed  his  mustache.  He  had 
presented  gifts  to  ladies  before,  but  never  with  such 
effect. 


MRS.  EVRINGHAM'S   CALLER  291 

"  Grandpa,  grandpa !  "  she  exclaimed,  touching  the 
little  watch  in  wondering  delight.  "  See  what  Divine 
Love  has  sent  me !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  raised  his  eyebrows  and  smiled,  but 
he  was  soon  assured  that  Love's  messenger  was  not  for 
gotten.  He  was  instantly  enveloped  in  a  rapturous 
hug,  and  heroically  endured  the  bitter  of  the  watch- 
case  pressing  into  his  jugular  for  the  sweet  of  the  rose- 
leaf  kisses  that  were  assaulting  his  cheek  like  the  quick 
reports  of  a  tiny  Gatling  gun. 

"  See  if  you  can  wind  it,"  he  said  at  last. 

Jewel  lifted  her  treasure  tenderly  from  its  velvet  bed, 
and  he  showed  her  how  to  twist  its  stem,  and  then 
pinned  it  securely  on  the  breast  of  her  light  sailor  suit, 
where  she  looked  down  upon  it  in  rapt  admiration. 

"  Now  then,  Jewel,  you  have  no  excuse  !  "  he  said 
severely. 

She  raised  her  happy  eyes,  while  her  hand  pressed 
the  satin  surface  of  her  watch.  "  Grandpa,  grandpa !  " 
she  said,  sighing  ecstatically,  "  you  're  such  a  joker  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE    RAVINE   GARDEN 

MRS.  EVRINGHAM  tried  heroically  to  look  impassive 
when  her  daughter  returned  from  the  ride.  There  was 
barely  time  then  to  dress  for  dinner,  and  no  oppor 
tunity  for  confidences  before  the  meal,  nor  afterward 
until  bedtime;  but  the  look  of  peace  and  sweetness 
in  Eloise's  face  could  have  but  one  significance  to  the 
mother,  who  believed  that  peace  lay  only  in  the  direc 
tion  upon  which  she  had  set  her  heart. 

Mr.  Evringham  took  coffee  with  them  after  dinner 
in  the  drawing-room,  while  Jewel  caressed  her  watch, 
never  tiring  of  looking  at  its  clear  face  and  the  little 
second  hand  which  traveled  so  steadily  its  tiny  circuit. 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  often  toward  the  door,  ex 
pectant  of  the  doctor's  entrance.  The  evening  wore 
on  and  he  did  not  come.  Still  Eloise's  face  wore 
the  placid,  restful  expression.  A  gentle  ease  with  her 
grandfather  replaced  her  old  manner. 

Her  mother  determined  to  try  an  experiment. 

"  You  could  never  guess  who  called  to-day,  Eloise," 
she  said  suddenly. 

Her  daughter  looked  up  from  her  coffee.  "  No.  Who 
was  it  ?  " 

"  Nat  Bonnell." 

"  Really !  "  The  girl's  tone  indicated  great  surprise, 
;md  that  only.  "  I  wish  I  might  have  seen  him." 


THE  RAVINE  GARDEN  293 

The  addition  was  made  so  calmly,  almost  perfunc 
torily,  that  Mrs.  Evringham  smiled  with  exultation. 

She  turned  to  her  father-in-law.  "  Who  would  be 
lieve  that  Mr.  Boiinell  was  Eloise's  brightest  flame  a 
year  ago  ?  '  How  soon  are  we  forgot ! '  "  she  said  lightly. 

When  Jewel  had  kissed  them  all  good-night  and 
gone  upstairs,  and  Mr.  Evringham  had  withdrawn  to 
his  library,  Mrs.  Evringham  took  her  child's  hand  and 
looked  fondly  into  her  eyes, 

"Well?"  she  asked. 

"  Well,"  returned  Eloise,  "  do  tell  me  everything 
Nat  said." 

"  After  you  've  told  me  everything  Dr.  Ballard  said. 
I  supposed  you  'd  fly  to  tell  me,  dear." 

The  girl  looked  tenderly  back  into  the  eyes  that 
were  sharp  with  inquiry.  "  Dear  little  mother,"  she 
returned,  "  it  can't  be." 

"  What  can't  be  ?  " 

"  What  you  wish.     Dr.  Ballard." 

"  Have  you  —  refused  him  — !  "  Mrs.  Evringham's 
face  whitened,  and  unconsciously  she  stepped  back. 

"  It  did  n't  have  to  come  to  that.  Dr.  Ballard  is  so 
fine  —  such  a  wise  man  in  so  many  ways.  I  do  admire 
him  so  much." 

"What  did  you  say -to  him?  I  will  know!"  ex 
claimed  Mrs.  Evringham  passionately. 

Eloise  was  mute,  and  her  eyes  besought  her  mother. 

"  Speak,  I  say  !  Was  it  Christian  Science  ?  Did 
you  dare,  Eloise  Evringham,  did  you  dare  spoil  your 
life  —  my  life  —  our  future,  by  scaring  Dr.  Ballard 
with  that  bugbear  ?  "  The  angry  woman  was  breath 
ing  fast. 


294  JEWEL 

"  Mother  dear,  don't  give  us  something  so  painful 
to  remember.  Don't,  I  beg  of  you.  Dr.  Ballard  does 
•  not  reproach  me.  He  thinks  I  shall  change,  and  he 
wishes  to  give  me  time  to  see  if  I  do.  Think  of  him,  if 
you  will  not  think  of  me.  He  would  be  so  shocked  to 
have  you  take  it  this  way.  If  you  could  have  seen  how 
kind  he  was,  how  patient.  Dear  mother,  don't  cry. 
It  is  n't  anything  I  can  help,  unless  I  should  deliber 
ately  turn  dishonest." 

But  Mrs.  Evringham  did  cry,  and  heartily.  She 
hurried  away  to  her  own  room  as  quickly  as  possible, 
and  locked  the  door  against  Eloise,  who  lay  awake  for 
hours  with  a  strange  mingling  of  regret  and  joy  at  her 
heart,  and  a  constant  declaring  of  the  truth. 

At  midnight  the  girl  heard  the  door  unlock  and  saw 
her  mother  emerge. 

"  Darling  mamma !  "  she  exclaimed,  springing  out  of 
bed. 

"  Oh,  Eloise,"  mourned  the  poor  woman,  dissolving 
again  upon  her  child's  shoulder.  "  I  never  went  to  bed 
without  your  kiss,  and  I  can't  bear  it.  How  can  you 
be  so  cru —  cru —  cruel !  " 

"  Darling,  everything  is  going  to  come  right,"  re 
turned  Eloise,  holding  her  close.  "  Nothing  good  would 
come  of  doing  wrong.  I  never  loved  you  so  much  as 
now.  I  never  saw  duty  so  plainly.  Dearest,  in  one 
way  I  suffer  for  you,  but  still  I  was  never  so  happy.  I 
have  grasped  the  end  of  the  clue  that  will  surely  lead 
us  safely  through  the  labyrinth,  no  matter  what  life 
brings.  You  will  see,  mamma  dear,  after  a  while  you 
will  see.  Don't  go  back.  Come  into  my  bed." 

Disconsolately  Mrs.  Evringham  obeyed,  and  in  a  few 


THE  RA  VINE  GARDEN  295 

minutes,  worn  out  with  emotion,  she  had  sobbed  herself 
to  sleep  in  her  child's  arms ;  and  although  for  many 
days  afterward  she  wore  a  languid  air,  and  declared 
that  there  was  nothing  to  live  for,  she  yielded  herself 
to  Eloise's  courageous  and  quietly  joyful  atmosphere, 
with  silent  wonder  at  her  child's  altered  outlook. 

On  the  morning  following  the  painful  interview  with 
her  mother,  Eloise  presented  herself  in  .Jewel's  room 
at  the  usual  hour. 

Smiling,  she  approached  the  child  and  exhibited 
three  fresh  new  books.  India  paper  editions  of  the 
Bible  and  "  Science  and  Health,"  and  the  little  brown 
pamphlet  were  in  her  hands. 

"  Yours  ?  "  exclaimed  the  child. 

Eloise  nodded. 

"  Good,  good  !  "  Jewel  hopped  up  and  down,  and 
forthwith  brought  Anna  Belle  to  have  her  share  in  the 
rejoicing. 

"  You  were  afraid  you  could  n't  get  them.  Now 
see !  "  cried  the  child  triumphantly.  "  As  if  Divine 
Love  could  n't  send  you  those  books  !  " 

"  He  showed  me  a  way,"  returned  the  girl.  "  See 
where  I  Ve  written  my  name.  I  want  you  to  put 
4  Jewel '  right  under  it  in  each  one." 

"  Oh,  in  those  lovely  books  ?  "  said  the  child  doubt 
fully.  "  I  don't  write  very  well." 

"  Yes,  I  want  it,  dear,  when  we  go  downstairs  and 
can  get  some  ink.  Did  anybody  fix  your  hair  yester 
day  ?  " 

"  I  just  brushed  it  down  real  smooth  on  the  outside," 
returned  the  child. 

"  It  looks  so,"  said  Eloise,  laughing.     "  Let 's  fix  it 


296  JEWEL 

before  we  have  the  lesson.  By  the  way,  what  time  is 
it,  Jewel  ?  " 

The  little  girl  smiled  back  at  her  cousin's  reflection 
in  the  glass,  and  took  the  open  morocco  case  from  the 
bureau.  "  Anna  Belle  and  I  put  him  to  bed  last  night," 
she  said,  looking  fondly  at  the  silver  cherub  on  its 
velvet  couch.  "  We  've  named  him  Little  Faithful. 
He  '11  come  to  the  lesson,  too.  I  know  he  's  going  to 
be  a  lovely  Scientist." 

"  I  'm  sure  I  hope  he  will,  and  neither  be  fast  nor 
lazy,"  returned  Eloise,  as  she  unbraided  the  short  pig 
tails. 

"  I  tell  you  it  was  n't  so  nice  getting  the  lesson  alone 
yesterday,"  said  Jewel.  "  You  were  away  all  day  ! 
Did  you  have  a  nice  ride  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Eloise  responded  slowly.  "  The  day  was 
very  nice  and  —  so  is  Dr.  Ballard." 

"  Did  he  enjoy  it  ? "  asked  the  child  hopefully. 
The  doctor  had  been  a  good  deal  on  her  mind. 

"  Some  of  the  time,"  responded  Eloise  soberly. 

"  Why  not  all  the  time  ?     Did  error  creep  in  ?  " 

The  older  girl  brushed  away  in  silence  for  a  minute. 

"  I  did  n't  mean  to  talk  about  grown-up  things," 
said  the  child,  somewhat  abashed.  "  Mother  says  I 
must  be  careful  not  to." 

"  It  is  all  right,  Jewel.  The  new  ideas  I  have  been 
learning  have  made  me  see  some  things  so  clearly. 
One  is  to  perceive  what  it  is  that  really  draws  people 
together  in  a  bond  that  cannot  be  broken.  There  is 
only  one  thing  that  can  do  it  and  will  do  it,  and  that 
is  loving  the  same  truth.  Two  people  can  have  a  very 
good  time  together  for  a  while,  and  like  each  other 


THE  RAVINE  GARDEN  297 

very  much,  but  the  time  comes  when  their  thoughts  fly 
apart  unless  that  one  bond  of  union  is  there  —  unless 
they  love  the  same  spiritual  truth." 

The  speaker  caught,  in  the  glass,  the  child's  eyes  fixed 
attentively  upon  her. 

"  Would  n't  Dr.  Ballard  look  at  our  book  ?  "  asked 
Jewel  softly. 

"  No,  dear." 

The  child  reflected  a  minute,  and  her  eyes  filled.  "  I 
just  love  him,"  she  said. 

Her  cousin  stooped  and  kissed  her  cheek.  "  You 
well  may,"  she  returned  quietly.  "  He  deserves  it." 

They  studied  the  lesson  and  then  went  downstairs, 
where  Jewel  in  her  very  best  hand  slowly  transcribed 
her  name  in  the  new  books  ;  then  she  told  Eloise  that 
she  was  going  out  to  the  barn. 

"  I  'm  going  to  visit  with  Zeke,"  she  said.  "  He  has 
a  claim  of  error,  and  he  is  willing  Science  should  help 
him." 

"  Is  he  ill?" 

Jewel  looked  off.     "  It  is  n't  that  kind  of  error." 

"  There  are  plenty  worse,"  rejoined  Eloise.  She 
looked  doubtfully  at  the  little  girl.  "  Would  n't  you 
better  tell  me,  dear  ?  "  Is  it  right  for  you  to  go  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it 's  right.  His  mother  knows  it,  and  she  's 
so  kind  to  me.  What  do  you  think !  At  breakfast 
she  asked  me  if  I  would  n't  like  to  bring  Anna  Belle 
down.  She  says  I  can  bring  her  to  the  table  whenever 
I  want  to.  Is  n't  it  nice  ?  The  dear  little  creature 
has  been  so  patient,  never  having  a  thing  to  eat !  " 

Eloise  could  not  help  laughing,  the  manner  in  which 
Jewel  finished  was  so  suddenly  quaint ;  but  she  shook 


298  JEWEL 

her  head  in  silent  wonder  as  she  watched  the  short* 
skirted  figure  setting  forth  for  the  barn. 

"  Oh  cousin  Eloise."  Jewel  turned  around.  "  Will 
you  come  to  the  ravine  after  lunch,  and  see  what  Anna 
Belle  and  I  have  done  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Jewel  walked  on  a  little  further  and  turned  again. 
"  You  won't  wear  your  watch,  will  you  ?  "  she  called. 

"  No,  I  '11  surely  forget  it,"  returned  the  girl,  smiling. 

The  small  figure  went  on,  well  content. 

"  Oh,  if  I  could  only  be  invisible  in  that  barn  ! " 
soliloquized  Eloise.  "  How  I  would  like  to  hear  what 
she  will  say.  How  wonderful  it  is  that  that  little  child 
has  more  chance  of  success,  whatever  trouble  Zeke 
has  been  getting  into,  than  any  full-grown,  experienced 
sage,  philosopher,  or  reformer,  who  is  a  worker  in  mor 
tal  mind." 

Anna  Belle  came  to  luncheon  that  day.  Mrs.  Forbes 
actually  put  a  cushion  in  one  of  the  chairs  to  lift  the 
honored  guest  to  such  a  height  that  her  rosy  smile  was 
visible  above  the  tablecloth.  Not  content  with  this 
hospitality,  the  housekeeper  brought  a  bread-and-butter 
plate,  upon  which  she  placed  such  small  proportions  of 
food  as  might  be  calculated  to  tempt  a  dainty  appetite. 
Jewel  felt  almost  embarrassed  by  the  eminence  to  which 
her  child  was  suddenly  raised. 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  Mrs.  Forbes,"  she  said ;  "  you 
need  n't  take  so  much  trouble.  Anna  Belle 's  just  used 
to  having  a  part  of  mine." 

But  nothing  now  was  too  good  for  Anna  Belle. 
"  She  shall  have  a  cup-custard  to-morrow,"  returned 
the  housekeeper. 


FOOD    ...    TO   TEMI'T   A   DAINTY   Al'l'KTlTK 


THE  RAVINE   GARDEN  299 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  on  with  lack-lustre  eyes. 
As  well  make  much  of  Anna  Belle  as  any  other  idol. 
Everything  was  stuffed  with  sawdust ! 

How  the  sunbeams  glanced  in  the  woods  that  day  as 
Jewel,  one  hand  clasping  her  doll  and  the  other  in 
Eloise's,  skipped  along  the  road  to  the  ravine ! 

When  they  had  stooped  under  the  wire  and  gone 
down  the  bank,  how  the  brook  sang,  and  how  the  vio 
lets  bloomed  in  Jewel's  garden  ! 

"  It 's  very  pretty,"  said  Eloise,  regarding  the  paths 
and  flower  beds  which  Jewel  exhibited  with  pride. 
"  It 's  very  pretty,  but  it  lacks  one  thing." 

"  What  ?  "  asked  the  child  eagerly. 

"  A  pond." 

"  But  it  is  by  the  side  of  a  rushing  river,"  returned 
Jewel. 

"  Yes,  but  all  the  more  easy  to  have  a  pond." 

"How?" 

"  We  '11  get  a  shallow  pan,  and  sink  it  in  the  ground, 
and  plant  ferns  about  it  to  hang  over.  Anna  Belle  can 
have  some  little  china  dolls  to  go  in  wading  in  it." 

"  Oh  yes,  yes !  "  cried  Jewel  delighted.  "  Hear  that, 
dearie  ?  Hear  what  Love  is  planning  for  you  ?  " 

Anna  Belle's  nose  was  buried  in  the  grass  and  her 
hat  was  awry.  If  she  had  a  fault,  it  was  a  tendency 
to  being  overdressed.  At  present  her  plumed  hat  and 
large  fluffy  boa  gave  her  an  aspect  unsympathetic  with 
the  surroundings.  Jewel  pulled  her  upright  and  placed 
her  on  the  mossy  divan. 

"  If  I  'd  only  brought  the  trowel  I  could  get  the  hole 
ready,"  Jewel  was  saying,  when  a  whistle,  soft  and  clear 
as  a  flute,  sounded  above  the  brook's  gurgle. 


300  JEWEL 

She  lifted  a  finger  in  caution.  "  Oh,"  she  whispered, 
looking  up  into  her  cousin's  face,  "  the  loveliest  bird ! 
Hush." 

Clear,  sweet,  flexible,  somewhere  among  those  high 
branches  sounded  again  the  same  elaborate  phrase. 

Jewel  was  surprised  to  see  her  cousin's  pleased,  lis 
tening  expression  alter  to  eager  wonder,  then  the  girl 
flushed  rosy  red  and  started  up.  "  Siegfried !  "  she 
murmured. 

Again  came  the  bird  motif  sifting  down  through  the 
rustling  leaves. 

"  Nat !  "  called  Eloise  gladly. 

"  Any  nymphs  down  there  ?  "  questioned  a  man's 
voice. 

"  Oh  yes  !  " 

"  May  Pan  come  down  ?  " 

"  Yes  indeed." 

Jewel,  watching  and  wondering,  saw  a  young  man 
in  light  clothes  swing  himself  down  from  tree  to  tree, 
and  at  last  saw  both  his  hands  close  on  both  her 
cousin's. 

The  two  talked  and  laughed  in  unison  for  a  minute, 
then  Eloise  freed  herself  and  turned  to  the  serious- 
faced  child.  "  You  remember  my  speaking  of  Nat  the 
other  day?  "she  asked.  "This  is  he.  Mr.  Bonnell, 
this  is  my  cousin  Jewel  Evringham.  She  is  landscape 
gardening  just  now,  and  may  not  feel  like  giving  you 
her  hand." 

"  I  can  wash  it,"  said  Jewel,  dipping  the  earthy 
member  in  the  brook,  wiping  it  on  the  grass,  and  pla 
cing  it  in  the  large  one  that  was  offered  her. 

"  How  did  you  ever  find  us  ?     I  thought  you  'd  gone 


THE  RAVINE  GARDEN  301 

back   to  New  York.     I  had  no  idea  of  seeing  you," 
said  Eloise  in  a  breath. 

"  Did  n't  your  mother  tell  you  ?  I  have  a  week 
off." 

The  girl's  bright  face  sobered.  "  Poor  mother  !  She 
had  a  —  a  shock  after  you  were  there  yesterday.  I 
suppose  it  put  everything  out  of  her  head.  Was  it  she 
who  sent  you  to  find  us  ?  " 

"  No ;  a  massive  lady  met  me  at  the  door  and  in 
formed  me  that  your  mother  wished  to  be  excused 
from  every  one  to-day,  but  that  you  had  fallen  down  a 
crack  in  the  earth  which  could  be  reached  up  this  road." 
The  speaker  looked  about.  "  As  there  does  n't  seem 
any  place  to  stand  here,  had  n't  we  better  sit  down 
before  we  fall  into  the  brook  ?  I  might  rescue  you,  but 
the  current  is  swift." 

Eloise  at  once  sank  upon  the  green  incline,  and  he 
followed  her  example.  Jewel  watched  him  with  con 
sideration,  and  he  became  aware  of  her  gaze. 

"  What  are  you  making,  little  girl  ?  "  he  asked,  with 
his  sunshiny  smile. 

"  A  garden  ;  and  I  could  dig  the  pond  if  I  had 
brought  the  trowel." 

"  Perhaps  my  knife  will  do."  He  took  it  out  and 
opened  the  largest  blade.  "  What  do  you  think  of 
that?" 

"  Do  you  suppose  I  should  break  it  ?  "  asked  the 
child  doubtfully. 

"  You  're  welcome  to  try,"  he  replied. 

She  leaned  forward  and  accepted  it  from  his  out 
stretched  hand. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

MUTUAL   SURPRISES 

"  I  THOUGHT  I  knew  Bel- Air  Park,"  said  Bonnell,  look 
ing  about  him.  "  I  never  suspected  this." 

"Jewel  is  the  Columbus  of  this  spot.  She  has 
named  it  the  Ravine  of  Happiness." 

Nat  looked  at  the  speaker.  "  That 's  rather  am 
biguous.  Does  she  mean  where  happiness  is  buried  or 
where  it  is  found  ?  " 

Eloise  smiled.  "  Jewel  never  buries  any  happiness. 
Well,  how  is  everybody,  Nat  ?  Your  mother,  first  of  all." 

"  Did  n't  Mrs.  Evringham  tell  you  ?  " 

The  girl's  face  clouded  with  apprehension  at  his 
surprised  tone.  "  No.  You  will  think  it  very  strange, 
but  poor  mamma  was  under  such  excitement,  you  must 
pardon  her.  Everything  went  out  of  her  head.  Don't 
tell  me  that  dear  Mrs.  Bonnell "  -  she  lowered  her 
voice  —  "  that  you  have  lost  her  !  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  No,  I  've  gained  her.  She  's 
well." 

"  Well !  "  repeated  the  girl  amazed.  "  Why,  what 
do  you  mean  ?  How  glorious !  How  long  since  ?  " 

"About  three  months." 

"  I  am  so  glad !  Tell  me  more  good  news.  Tell 
me  about  your  own  frivoling,  and  then  I  shall  hear 
about  the  other  people." 


MUTUAL  SURPRISES  303 

The  young  man  shook  his  head.  "  I  observed  Lent 
this  year  scrupulously,  and  I  have  n't  changed  my  tac 
tics  since  Easter.  I  've  been  keeping  my  nose  to  the 
grindstone.  Began  to  see  things  a  little  differently, 
Eloise.  I  decided  it  was  mother's  innings  —  decided 
to  drop  the  butterfly  and  do  the  bee  act." 

"  Is  it  possible  !  "  The  girl  laughed.  "  Will  won 
ders  ever  cease !  What  was  the  matter  ?  Did  the 
heiresses  cut  you  ?  " 

"  I  cut  the  whole  thing,  and  I  have  my  reward.  I 
suppose  your  mother  did  n't  tell  you  that,  either.  I  'm 
going  into  business  with  Mr.  Reeves.  Do  you  know 
him  ?  Jewel  does."  He  smiled  toward  the  child,  who 
lifted  an  interested  face. 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  she  said.  "  You  remember  about  him, 
cousin  Eloise." 

"  Certainly."  The  girl  looked  at  her  friend  ques- 
tioningly. 

"  I  'm  spending  this  week  at  his  house." 

"  And  you  know  about  Jewel  ?     He  has  told  you  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  The  one  person  of  his  acquaintance 
who  has  n't  to  unlearn  anything." 

"  You  mean  he  talked  to  you  of  Christian  Science  ?  " 

Bonnell's  hands  were  clasping  his  knees.  His  hat 
lay  on  the  bank  beside  him  and  the  thick  hair  tossed 
away  from  his  brow.  He  nodded  slowly,  wondering  at 
the  sudden  attentive  interest  of  her  look. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied.  "  We  talked  on  the  tabooed 
subject." 

"  Tabooed  with  whom  ?  You  ?  "  she  asked  disap 
pointedly. 

"  No,  with  you  I  understand." 


304  JEWEL 

Color  flew  into  Eloise's  face.  "Who  told  you  that  ? 
Mother  of  course." 

Bonnell  nodded,  giving  a  fleeting  glance  toward  the 
child,  who  was  again  busy  at  her  excavation. 

"  Are  congratulations  in  order,  Eloise  ?  "  he  asked 
quietly. 

"  Yes,  congratulations."  Her  eyes  grew  full  of  light. 
"  For  I  have  come  to  see  the  truth.  That  child  has 
shown  me." 

The  young  man's  lips  remained  apart  for  a  second  in 
his  surprise  at  this  declaration,  after  Mrs.  Evringham's 
detailed  representations. 

"  Then  I  may  tell  you  how  my  mother  was  healed," 
he  said  at  last. 

"  Oh,  was  it  really  so  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  you,  Nat  ?  "  Unconsciously  Eloise  leaned  her 
whole  body  toward  him,  supporting  her  hand  on  the 
ground.  "  You  know  about  it  yourself  ?  You  under 
stand?" 

"Yes." 

"  And  you  believe  in  it  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart." 

Her  face  shone.  "  Oh,  Jewel,  do  you  hear  ?  Mr. 
Bonnell  is  a  Scientist."  The  girl's  breathing  was 
hastened.  Her  eyes  were  like  stars. 

The  child  sank  back  from  her  work  and  regarded 
the  visitor,  smiling.  She  was  glad,  but  she  was  not 
astonished.  In  her  world  a  great  many  young  men  had 
found  the  key  to  life,  but  to  Eloise  it  was  something 
wonderful.  She  looked  at  her  old  friend  as  if  she  had 
never  seen  him  before.  She  reviewed  all  she  knew  of 
his  gay  life  with  its  background  of  suffering. 


MUTUAL  SURPRISES  305 

"  Do  you  study  the  lessons  ?  "  she  asked  incredulously. 
«  You  ?  " 

"  Every  day.  I  am  surprised  beyond  measure  to 
find  you  interested,  for  your  mother  told  me  —  And 
the  doctor  —  ?  " 

"  Is  a  very  fine  man,"  returned  Eloise  gravely,  as  he 
paused. 

Boimell's  mental  questions  were  answered  by  her 
manner.  He  put  his  hand  in  the  pocket  of  his  sack 
coat  and  drew  out  a  small,  thin,  black  book. 

Eloise  took  it.  "  '  Unity  of  Good,'  "  she  read  on  its 
cover.  "  I  have  n't  seen  this  one,"  she  said  eagerly. 

"  You  will,"  he  replied. 

She  looked  up.  "Do  you  know,  I  thought  just 
now  you  were  going  to  take  out  your  pipe  ?  "  she  said 
naively.  "  That 's  where  you  used  to  keep  it." 

"  My  pipe  does  n't  like  me  any  more,"  he  rejoined 
quietly. 

"  Are  you  happy,  Nat  ?  "  she  asked,  scrutinizing  hia 
face  with  childlike,  searching  eyes. 

"  I  was  never  a  very  solemn  codger,  was  I  ?  "  he 
returned. 

"  But  are  you  happier  ?  Does  the  world  look  differ 
ent?  Of  course  it  does,  with  your  mother  well." 

"  Oh  yes,"  he  answered  in  a  changed  tone,  tossing 
his  head  back,  and  making  a  gesture  as  of  throwing 
away  something.  "  There  was  nothing  in  it  before, 
nothing  in  it." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know,"  she  returned  comprehendingly. 

Jewel  had  watched  them,  and  now,  as  they  paused, 
her  voice  broke  the  silence  in  which  the  two  friends 
looked  into  each  other's  faces. 


306  JEWEL 

>u  Cousin  Eloise  is  going  to  church  with  me  on  Sun 
day,"  she  announced. 

"  Oh,  certainly."  Bonnell  smiled.  "  Wednesday 
evening  meetings  and  all  now,  Eloise.  Have  n't  you 
attended  yet  ?  " 

"No,  I  've  only  just  learned.  I  'vc  only  just  seen. 
I  'm  only  beginning  to  see,  Nat.  Your  mother  was 
healed.  Oh,  it  is  true,  is  n't  it !  It 's  so  wonderful  to 
find  that  you,  you  know  more  about  it  than  I  do,  when 
I  supposed  you  would  scorn  it.  I  can't  help  expecting 
to  wake  up." 

"  That  is  just  what  you  will  do,"  returned  Bonnell. 
"  You  will  waken  —  to  a  thousand  things.  So  your 
mother  objects." 

"  Poor  little  mother,"  returned  Eloise,  looking  down 
with  sudden  sadness. 

"  My  mother  wants  you  and  yours  to  make  us  a  long 
visit  at  View  Point  this  summer." 

The  girl's  lovely  eyes  raised  hopefully.  "  The  best 
thing  that  could  happen,"  she  exclaimed. 

"  I  think  so,"  responded  her  companion. 

When  Mr.  Evringham  returned  from  golf  that  after 
noon,  only  his  daughter-in-law  was  in  sight.  She  inclined 
her  head  toward  him  with  the  air  of  a  Lady  Macbeth. 

"  Have  you  seen  anything  of  the  girls  ?  "  she  asked 
as  he  approached  her. 

"  Nothing.     Where  are  they  ?  " 

She  slowly  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I  'm  the  last 
one  to  ask.  They  would  n't  think  of  telling  me,"  she 
returned. 

"  What 's  up  now  ?  "  thought  Mr.  Evringham.  "  You 
don't  look  well,  Madge,"  he  said  aloud. 


MUTUAL  SURPRISES  307 

Once  she  would  have  welcomed  the  evidence  of  solici 
tude.  Now  nothing  mattered. 

"  I  don't  feel  well,"  she  replied,  "  and  I  can't  even 
call  the  physician  I  prefer." 

Mr.  Evringham  stared  down  at  her  for  a  silent  min 
ute,  and  light  broke  upon  him. 

"  Is  it  all  off  with  Ballard  ?  "  he  asked  bluntly. 

"  Yes  ;  and  that 's  what  you  have  done,  father,  by 
allowing  that  child  Jewel  to  come  here." 

Mr.  Evringham  bit  his  lip.     This  amused  him. 

"  Eloise  has  mounted  the  new  hobby,  and  is  riding 
for  dear  life  away  from  common  sense,  away  from 
everything  that  promised  such  happiness." 

"  Do  you  mean  Christian  Science  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do." 

"  It 's  a  strange  thing,  Madge.  Do  you  know,  it  cap 
tures  people  with  good  heads."  Mr.  Evringham  seated 
himself  near  his  daughter's  chair.  "  I  came  out  on  the 
train  with  my  friend  Keeves.  He  was  talking  about 
young  Bonnell,  of  whom  you  spoke  last  night.  Said 
his  mother  was  cured  when  doctors  could  n't  do  any 
thing.  You  know  her,  eh  ?  " 

"  As  well  as  if  she  were  my  own  flesh  and  blood." 

"  Is  it  a  fact,  what  they  say?  " 

"  She  was  considered  incurable.  I  know  nothing 
about  the  rest  of  it.  Nat  was  telling  me  yesterday. 
Now  he  is  probably  infatuated  also,  and,  sooner  or 
later,  Eloise  is  sure  to  meet  him." 

"  IFni,  h'm.  An  old  flame,  you  said,"  remarked 
Mr.  Evringham.  "  Indeed  !  In — deed  !  I  trust  for 
your  sake,  Madge,  that  he  is  not  objectionable  to  you." 

"  He  is,"  snapped  Mrs.  Evriiigham.    "  A  poor  fellow, 


308  JEWEL 

with  his  way  to  make  in  the  world.  He  's  been  out  of 
college  a  couple  of  years  and  has  n't  done  anything 
worth  speaking  of  yet." 

"Reeves  is  going  to  take  him  into  the  business," 
returned  Mr.  Evringham.  "  I  don't  know  why  or 
wherefore,  but  the  mere  fact  is  decidedly  promising." 

"  Oh,  who  can  tell  if  that  will  last !  "  returned  the 
other  with  scornful  pessimism.  "  Nat  has  led  too 
many  cotillions  to  do  anything  else  well.  I  can  only 
pray  that  he  will  get  away  without  seeing  Eloise.  Mrs. 
Bonnell  has  invited  us  to  make  her  a  visit  this  summer. 
I  certainly  shall  not  go  one  step ! " 

A  sudden  sound  of  laughter  was  heard  on  the  quiet 
air.  Mrs.  Evringham  leaned  forward.  "  There  are 
the  children  now,"  she  said,  as  figures  turned  in  at  the 
gateway  ;  "  and  who  is  that  ?  It  is  "  -  with  despera 
tion,  —  "  he  's  there !  Nat  Bonnell  is  with  them !  " 

She  sat  upright  with  disapproval,  clasping  the  arm  of 
her  chair,  while  her  father-in-law  looked  curiously  at  the 
approaching  group.  His  gaze  fixed  on  the  young  man 
with  the  well-set  head  who,  swinging  his  hat  in  his 
hand,  was  talking  fast  to  Eloise  of  something  that  amused 
them  both.  Jewel  apparently  interrupted  him  and  he 
stooped  with  a  quick  motion,  and  in  a  second  she  was 
sitting  on  his  shoulder,  shrieking  in  gleeful  surprise. 

Thus  they  approached  the  piazza  and  came  close  be 
fore  noting  that  it  was  occupied. 

"  Grandpa,  see  me  !  "  cried  Jewel  delightedly. 

Bonnell  met  the  unsmiling  gaze  of  his  host  as  Mr. 
Evringham  rose,  and  then  caught  sight  of  Mrs.  Evring 
ham  stonily  gazing  from  her  chair. 

"  Ah,  how  do  you  do  ?  "  he  called  laughingly. 


MUTUAL  SURPRISES  309 

"  Jove,  he  is  a  good  looking  chap  !  "  thought  the  host, 
and  Bonnell  set  Jewel  down  at  his  feet  with  such  velo 
city  that  Anna  Belle  was  cast  heavily  to  earth. 

"  A  thousand  pardons  !  "  exclaimed  Nat,  catching 
up  the  doll  by  the  skirt  and  restoring  her. 

Jewel  gave  him  a  bright  look.  "  She  knows  there 
is  no  sensation  in  matter,"  she  said  scornfully. 

Poor  Anna  Belle !  The  topography  of  the  ravine 
was  full  of  hazards  for  her,  and  her  seasons  there  were 
always  so  adventurous  and  full  of  sudden  and  unlooked- 
for  bumps  that  her  philosophy  was  well  tested,  and  she 
might  reasonably  have  complained  of  this  gratuitous 
blow;  but  she  smiled  on,  as  Jewel  hugged  her.  Her 
mental  poise  was  marvelous,  whatever  might  be  said  of 
the  physical. 

Eloise  introduced  her  friend  and  went  to  her  mother's 
side,  while  Bonnell  shook  hands  with  Mr.  Evringham 
and  exchanged  some  words  concerning  Mr.  Reeves  and 
business  matters. 

"  Wide  awake,"  was  the  older  man's  mental  com 
ment.  "  Does  n't  seem  at  all  the  sort  of  person  to  be 
fooled  about  that  healing  business.  Good  eye.  Good 
manner.  Perhaps  this  was  Ballard's  handicap  all  the 
time.  I  guess  you  're  in  for  it,  Madge." 

Nat  moved  to  greet  Mrs.  Evringham,  who  gave  him 
no  welcoming  smile.  She  leaned  back  listlessly,  not 
caring  what  effect  she  produced.  He  seemed  to  her  a 
part  of  the  combination  entered  into  by  the  Fates  to 
thwart  and  annoy. 

Bomiell  knew  her  nearly  as  well  as  Eloise  did. 
"  I  'm  sorry  you  're  under  the  weather,"  he  said  sym 
pathetically,  when  he  had  discovered  that,  in  his  own 


310  JEWEL 

phrase,  there  was  "nothing  doing."  "I  received  a 
letter  from  my  mother  to-day,  in  which  she  impressed 
upon  me  that  she  expected  you  both  by  the  middle  of 
June." 

"  My  plans  have  changed  since  yesterday,  Nat,"  re 
turned  Mrs.  Evringham  dismally.  "  Yes.  We  shall 
not  be  able  to  go  to  your  mother's,  as  I  had  hoped. 
Some  time  during  the  season  I  shall  try  to  look  in  on 
her  of  course.  You  tell  her  so,  Nat,  when  you  write." 

"  Nonsense,  nonsense,  Mrs.  Evringham.  You  don't 
in  the  least  mean  it,"  he  returned  cheerfully,  with  the 
smile  and  manner  which  she  could  not  and  would  not 
endure. 

"I  do  mean  it,  Nat.  I  tell  you  my  plans  are 
changed.  Eloise  and  I  may  go  to  Europe." 

Naturally  she  had  never  thought  of  Europe  until 
that  moment,  but  that  laughing,  caressing  light  in  Nat 
BonnelFs  eyes  was  insufferable. 

"  Ah,  in  that  case,  of  course,"  he  returned,  "  we 
could  n't  say  a  word,"  and  then  he  moved  to  go. 

Mr.  Evringham  urged  the  visitor  to  stay  to  dinner, 
but  he  declined  and  once  more  shook  hands. 

"  Good-by,  Jewel,"  he  said  to  the  child.  "  Sunday, 
you  know." 

"  Yes  indeed,  I  know,"  she  returned,  an  irresistible 
tendency  to  hop  moving  her  feet.  On  nearer  acquaint 
ance  she  had  found  Mr.  Bonnell  exhilarating. 

"  Good-by,  Nat,"  said  Eloise. 

He  looked  into  the  face  on  which  rested  a  cloud. 
"  I  think  you  might  be  a  degree  more  attentive,"  he 
suggested. 

"How?" 


MUTUAL  SURPRISES  311 

"  Oh  —  take  me  to  the  gate,  for  instance." 

Eloise  smiled  and  went  with  him.  He  turned  with 
a  slight  bow  that  included  the  group,  and  they  strolled 
down  the  path. 

"  It 's  all  up,  Madge,"  remarked  Mr.  Evringham, 
half  smiling.  "  No  use  wriggling,  no  use  staying  away 
from  the  mother.  Might  as  well  yield  gracefully.  I 
think  Ballard  might  have  been  told,  that 's  all." 

"  There  was  nothing  to  tell,  father  !  How  can  you 
be  so  unkind  ?  That 's  just  Nat's  manner.  He  is  used 
to  everybody  liking  him,  and  always  having  his  own 
way  ;  but  Eloise  never  —  she  never  "  —  the  speaker 
saw  that  if  she  continued,  in  a  moment  more  she  would 
be  weeping,  and  she  certainly  was  not  going  to  weep 
in  this  company.  So  she  contented  herself  by  glaring 
toward  the  gate,  where  could  be  seen  two  figures  in 
earnest  conversation. 

"  I  had  counted  so  much  on  Mrs.  Bonnell's  influ 
ence,"  Eloise  was  saying.  "  What  does  mother  mean? 
She  knows  my  mind  is  made  up  as  to  Christian  Science. 
What  is  she  afraid  of  ?  " 

Bonnell  caught  his  thumbs  in  his  coat  pockets  and 
lifted  himself  slightly  on  his  toes.  "  She  is  afraid  of 
me." 

"  Of  you  ? "  The  girl  lifted  surprised  eyes  to  his 
and  let  them  fall  again,  her  grave  face  coloring. 

"  She  has  always  been  more  or  less  afraid  of  me. 
I  'm  ineligible,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  you  are,  awfully,  Nat,"  returned  Eloise  ear 
nestly.  "  That 's  what  makes  you  so  nice.  Did  n't  we 
always  have  a  good  time  together  ?  " 

"  Yes,  on  those  rare  occasions  when  we  had  a  chance, 


312  JEWEL 

but  Mrs.  Evringham  always  suspected  me.  She  never 
felt  certain  that  I  was  n't  waiting  for  your  skirts  to  be 
lengthened  and  your  hair  to  go  up  in  order  to  steal 
you."  _ 

Eloise  tried  to  look  at  him,  but  found  it  more  com 
fortable  to  examine  the  inexpressive  gravel  path.  "  But 
now  you  have  something  to  think  of  besides  girls,"  she 
said  gently. 

"Yes.  Do  you  know,  Eloise,  if  I  had  been  pro 
mised  the  granting  of  one  wish  as  I  took  the  cars 
for  Bel- Air,  it  would  have  been  that  I  might  find  you 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christian  Science." 

She  looked  at  him  now  brightly,  gladly.  "  It  is  such 
a  help  to  me  to  know  that  you  are  in  it,"  she  returned. 
Their  hands  simultaneously  went  forth  and  clasped. 
"  What  shall  we  do  about  mother?  " 

He  smiled.  "  That  will  all  come  right,"  he  returned 
confidently. 

"  There  are  classes,  Nat,"  she  said.  "  Have  you 
been  through  one  ?  " 

"  Not  yet.     Perhaps  we  could  enter  together." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  she  returned  eagerly. 

He  was  looking  down  at  her  still  —  calm,  strong. 

She  started.  "  I  must  n't  be  late  to  dinner.  Good- 
by.  Sunday,  Nat." 

"Not  to-morrow?     I  want  some  golf." 

"  Yes,  go.  It 's  a  fine  links.  I  'in  sorry,  but  I  'd 
better  not  go  there  for  the  present.  Good-by." 

She  was  gone,  so  he  strolled  on  and  out  through  the 
park,  and  as  he  went  he  put  two  and  two  together,  and 
suspected  the  cause  of  the  girl's  objection  to  golf. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

ON   WEDNESDAY    EVENING 

"  THIS  is  my  silk  dress,  grandpa,"  said  Jewel,  coming 
out  on  the  piazza  Sunday  morning. 

Mr.  Evringham  was  sitting  there  reading  the  paper. 
He  looked  up  to  behold  his  granddaughter  standing 
expectantly. 

She  had  on  the  cherished  frock.  Her  plump  black 
legs  ended  in  new  shoes,  the  brim  of  her  large  hat 
was  wreathed  with  daisies,  snowy  ribbons  finished  her 
well-brushed  braids,  while,  happiest  touch  of  all,  Little 
Faithful  was  ticking  away  on  her  breast. 

"  Well,  who  is  this  bonnie  lassie  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Ev 
ringham,  viewing  her. 

"  It 's  my  best  one,"  said  Jewel  smilingly,  coming 
close  to  him. 

"  I  should  hope  so.  If  you  wore  anything  any 
grandei  I  should  have  to  put  on  smoked  glasses  to  look 
at  you.  Church,  eh?"  He  took  the  brown  pamphlet 
she  carried  and  examined  it. 

"  Yes.     I  wish  you  were  coming." 

"  Oh,  I  have  an  important  engagement  at  the  golf 
club  this  morning." 

"  Have  you  ?  Well,  grandpa,  I  was  thinking  you 
can't  play  golf  or  ride  at  night,  and  would  n't  you  take 
me  Wednesday  evening  ?  " 


314  JEWEL 

"  Where  to  ?  " 

«  Church." 

"  Heavens,  child  !  Wednesday  evening  prayer  meet 
ing  ?  "  asked  the  broker  in  perturbation. 

"  No.  It 's  just  lovely  reading  and  singing  and  in 
teresting  stories,"  replied  Jewel,  endeavoring  to  paint 
the  picture  as  attractively  as  possible. 

"  H'm.     H'm.     Do  you  suppose  Mr.  Reeves  goes  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course,"  replied  the  child.  "  Scientists 
never  stay  away." 

"  Then  should  I  be  considered  a  Scientist  if  I  went? 
I  still  have  some  regard  for  my  reputation." 

"  A  great  many  visitors  go,"  replied  the  child  ear 
nestly.  Then  she  added,  with  unmistakably  sincere 
naivete,  "  I  don't  mind  leaving  you  in  the  daytime, 
because  we  're  used  to  it ;  but  I  was  thinking  it  would 
make  me  homesick,  grandpa,  to  go  away  in  the  evening 
and  leave  you  in  the  library." 

Mr.  Evringham  took  her  little  hand  in  his.  "  Have 
you  thought,  Jewel,"  he  asked,  "  how  it  will  be  when 
you  leave  me  altogether  ?  " 

"  I  shall  have  mother  and  father  then,"  returned  the 
child. 

"  Yes  ;  but  whom  shall  I  have  ?  " 

The  question  came  curtly,  and  Jewel  looked  into 
the  deep-set  eyes  in  surprise.  "Shall  you  miss  me, 
grandpa?"  she  asked  wonderingly. 

"  Whom  shall  I  have,  I  say  ?  "  he  repeated. 

The  child  thought  a  minute.  "  Just  who  you  had  be 
fore,"  she  answered,  slipping  her  arm  around  his  neck. 
"  There  's  Essex  Maid,  you  know." 

The  broker  gave  a  short  laugh.  "  Yes.  It 's  lucky, 
is  n't  it  ?  "  he  returned,  rather  bitterly. 


ON   WEDNESDAY  EVENING  315 

"  Do  you  like  to  have  me  with  you,  grandpa  ?  "  pur 
sued  the  child,  pleased. 

"  Yes  ;  confound  it,  Jewel,  yes." 

u  Then  Divine  Love  will  fix  it  somehow,  for  I  love 
to  be  with  you,  too." 

"  You  do,  eh  ?  Then  I  '11  tell  you  that  I  received  a 
letter  from  your  father  yesterday.  It  was  a  very  plea 
sant  letter,  but  it  said  they  felt  obliged,  if  they  could, 
to  stay  over  a  little  longer  —  two  or  three  weeks  longer." 

The  child's  face  grew  thoughtful. 

"  He  said  they  had  just  received  your  letter,  and 
were  very  pleased  and  thankful  to  know  that  you  were 
happy.  He  said  it  would  be  a  business  advantage  to 
them  to  stay,  but  that  they  could  come  home  at  the 
appointed  time  if  you  wished  it.  I  am  to  cable  them 
to-morrow,  if  you  do."  Silence  for  a  minute  while  Jewel 
thought.  "  Do  you  think  you  can  be  happy  with  me  a 
little  longer  than  you  expected  ?  " 

"  I  do  want  to  see  mother  and  father  very  much," 
returned  the  child,  "  but  I  'm  just  as  happy  as  any 
thing,"  she  added  heartily,  after  a  pause. 

Mr.  Evringham  had  listened  with  surprising  anxiety 
for  the  verdict.  "Very  well,  very  well,"  he  returned, 
with  extra  brusqueuess,  picking  up  his  newspaper.  "  I 
guess  there  won't  be  anything  to  prevent  my  going 
to  that  meeting  with  you  Wednesday  evening,  Jewel. 
Just  once,  you  understand,  once  only." 

At  this  moment  the  brougham  drove  around  to  the 
steps,  and  Eloise  came  out  upon  the  piazza.  She  was 
a  vision  of  dainty  purity  in  her  white  gown,  white  hat, 
and  gloves. 

Mr.  Evringham  rose,  lifted  his  hat,  and  going  down 
the  steps  opened  the  door  of  the  carriage.  "  A  man 


316  JEWEL 

need  not  be  ashamed  to  have  these  two  ladies  represent 
him  at  church,"  he  said,  looking  into  Eloise's  calm 
eyes. 

She  smiled  back  at  him.  There  was  no  suspicion 
now  of  sarcasm  or  stings.  The  air  she  breathed  was 
wholesome  and  inviting.  The  lump  had  been  leavened. 

Arrived  at  the  hall  where  the  services  were  held,  the 
girls  were  ushered  into  good  seats  before  the  room 
rapidly  filled. 

They  saw  Mr.  Reeves  and  his  family  and  Mr.  Bon- 
nell  come  in  on  the  other  side,  and  the  latter  did  not 
rest  until  he  had  found  them  and  sent  over  a  bright, 
quick  nod. 

The  platform  was  beautified  by  a  tall  vase  of  roses 
at  the  side  of  the  white  reading-desk,  and  Eloise  lis 
tened  eagerly  to  the  voices  of  the  man  and  woman  who 
alternately  read  the  morning  lesson.  The  peace,  sim 
plicity,  and  quiet  of  the  service  enthralled  her.  She 
looked  over  the  crowd  of  listening,  reverent  faces  with 
wistful  wonder.  Nat  was  among  them,  Nat !  Some 
times  she  glanced  across  at  his  attentive  face.  Nat  at 
church  ;  in  the  morning  ;  thoroughly  interested  !  She 
pinched  her  arm  to  make  quite  certain. 

Once  when  they  rose  to  sing,  it  was  the  hymn  she 
had  heard.  The  voices  swelled  :  — 

"  O'er  waiting  harpstrings  of  the  mind 

There  sweeps  a  strain, 
Low,  sad,  and  sweet,  whose  measures  bind 
The  power  of  pain." 

The  girl  in  the  white  dress  did  not  sing.  She  swal 
lowed  often.  The  voice  of  the  child  at  her  side  soared 
easily. 


ON  WEDNESDAY  EVENING  317 

"  And  o'er  earth's  troubled,  angry  sea, 

I  see  Christ  walk  ; 
And  come  to  me,  and  tenderly, 
Divinely,  talk." 

What  a  haven  of  promise  and  peace  seemed  this 
sunny,  simple  place  of  purity. 

"  From  tired  joy  and  grief  afar, 

And  nearer  Thee, 

Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are 
I  love  to  be." 

Jewel,  looking  up  at  her  companion,  was  surprised  to 
see  her  lashes  wet  and  her  lower  lip  caught  between  her 
teeth. 

"  What 's  the  matter,  cousin  Eloise  ?  "  she  whispered 
softly  as  they  sat  down. 

The  girl  tried  to  smile.  Words  were  not  at  her 
command.  "  Gladness,"  she  returned  briefly  ;  which 
reply  caused  Jewel  to  meditate  for  some  time. 

They  had  a  talk  with  Nat  and  were  presented  to  the 
Reeves  family  after  church,  and  Eloise  felt  herself  in 
an  atmosphere  of  love. 

Jewel  left  the  group  for  a  private  word  to  Zeke 
before  her  cousin  should  come  to  enter  the  brougham. 
'Zekiel  sat  bolt  upright  in  the  most  approved  style,  and 
did  not  turn  his  face,  even  when  the  child  addressed 
him. 

"  I  've  been  wondering  this  morning,"  she  said,  "  how 
we  can  manage  for  you  to  come  to  church,  'Zekiel." 

"  Oh,  I  have  it  six  times  a  week,"  returned  the 
coachman. 

"  But  it 's  so  lovely  just  to  listen  to  them  read  and 
not  have  to  hunt  up  the  places  or  anything." 


318  JEWEL 

"  I  'm  satisfied  with  my  minister,"  returned  Zeke, 
almost  smiling. 

Eloise  and  Mr.  Bonnell  came  out  to  the  carriage,  so 
there  was  no  further  time  for  talk. 

The  subject  remained  in  Jewel's  mind,  however.  On 
Wednesday  morning,  just  before  Mr.  Evringham  went 
to  the  station,  the  child  seized  him  in  the  hall. 

"  Grandpa,  don't  you  think  it  would  be  nice  to  go 
in  the  trolley  car  to  church  to-night  ?  " 

"  To  —  where  ?  "  asked  the  broker,  frowning. 

"  This  is  the  night  we  're  going  to  church,  you 
know." 

"  The  dev —  Ah,  to  be  sure.  So  we  are.  Well  — 
a  —  what  did  you  say  ?  Trolley  car  ?  Why  ?  " 

"  Well,  we  could  all  go  then,  you  know,"  returned 
Jewel.  "  Cousin  Eloise  wants  to  go,  but,"  the  child's 
honesty  compelled  her,  "  she  would  n't  have  to  go  with 
us  because  it  is  Mr.  Bonnell's  last  night  in  Bel-Air, 
and  I  heard  him  ask  if  he  might  come  for  her ;  but  I 
do  so  want  Zeke  to  go,  grandpa!  " 

"  Well,  for  the  love  of  "    -  began  the  broker  slowly. 

"  Yes,  Zeke  is  getting  to  understand  a  good  deal 
about  Christian  Science.  He  has  some  claims  of  error 
that  his  mother  knows  about,  and  they  make  her  sorry, 
and  I  've  been  helping  him  and  reading  to  him  out  of 
my  books,  and  I  do  want  him  to  go  to  the  testimonial 
meeting  so  much." 

The  child  looked  wistfully  up  into  the  dark  eyes  that 
rested  upon  her.  Mr.  Evringham  had  remarked  his 
housekeeper's  change  of  spirit  toward  the  little  girl, 
had  wondered  at  the  increasing  and  even  reckless  in 
dulgence  of  Anna  Belle,  who  from  being  an  exile  in  the 


ON  WEDNESDAY  EVENING  319 

stair  closet  had  now  arrived  at  a  degree  of  consideration 
and  pampering  which  threatened  to  turn  her  head. 

"  Jewel,"  he  said  impressively,  "  I  wish  you  to  un 
derstand  one  thing  distinctly.  You  are  not  now  or  at 
any  future  time  to  try  to  make  a  Christian  Scientist  of 
Essex  Maid." 

From  wondering  sobriety  Jewel's  lips  broke  into  a 
gleeful  smile.  "  I  don't  have  to,"  she  cried  trium 
phantly.  "  She  is  one !  Anyway,  she  has  demonstrated 
everything  a  horse  ought  to  !  " 

Mr.  Evringham  flung  his  hands  over  his  head  de 
spairingly.  "  Great  heavens  !  "  he  exclaimed  tragically, 
rushing  out  to  the  brougham,  Jewel  at  his  heels  in  peals 
of  laughter. 

But  they  went  to  church  in  the  trolley  car.  Eloise 
reached  the  same  place  with  Mr.  Bonnell,  but  whether 
she  walked  or  drove  or  rode  nobody  ever  knew,  and  it 
didn't  matter  much,  for  a  full  moon  illumined  the 
night. 

Early  in  the  evening  a  young  man  entered  the  hall 
quietly  and  took  a  back  seat.  It  was  Zeke. 

Mr.  Reeves  saw  Jewel  and  her  grandfather  come  in, 
and  softly  he  smote  his  knee.  "  She 's  done  it !  "  he 
ejaculated  mentally.  He  noted  the  broker's  haughty 
carriage,  the  half  challenging  glances  he  threw  to  right 
and  left  as  he  proceeded  up  the  aisle  to  the  position  of 
Jewel's  choice. 

Mr.  Reeves  composed  his  countenance  with  some 
difficulty,  and  catching  the  wandering  eye,  gave  his 
friend  a  grave  bow. 

Testimonial  meetings  differ  in  point  of  continued 
interest.  This  proved  to  be  a  good  one.  The  most 


320  JEWEL 

interesting  narrative  of  the  evening  was  Nat  Bonnell's. 
His  self  possession,  fine  presence,  and  good  voice  made 
more  effective  the  marvelous  story  of  his  mother's 
resurrection  to  strength.  He  told  it  with  dignity  and 
directness,  and  Mr.  Evringham  was  impressed. 

"  What's  my  rheumatism  to  that,  eh,  Jewel?"  he 
whispered,  as  Nat  sat  down. 

"  Just  nothing,  grandpa,"  replied  the  child. 

"  You  think  the  Creator  'd  consider  me  worth  at 
tending  to,  eh  ?  " 

"  God  does  n't  know  you  have  the  rheumatism,"  ex 
claimed  Jewel  with  soft  scorn. 

"  Does  n't  ?  Well !  I  've  always  supposed  He 
thought  I  needed  reminding  on  account  of  a  number 
of  things,  and  so  touched  me  up  with  that.  I  did  n't 
blame  Him  much." 

"  If  He  knew  it,  it  would  be  real,  and  then  it 
could  n't  be  changed,"  returned  Jewel  earnestly  in  the 
ear  he  bent  to  her. 

The  broker  sat  up  and  looked  down  on  her  large  hat 
and  short  legs.  "  Whew,  but  I  'm  a  back  number  !  " 
he  mused. 

The  next  testimonial  made  Jewel's  eyes  brighten. 
It  was  given  by  a  man  who  told  a  story  of  hopeless 
intemperance  and  his  family's  want.  The  unaffected 
humility  and  gratitude  that  sounded  in  his  voice  as  he 
described  the  changed  conditions  which  followed  his 
cure  caused  the  roses  to  deepen  in  Jewel's  cheeks. 
She  wondered  where  Zeke  was  sitting. 

Altogether  she  was  happy  over  the  meeting,  and  her 
grandfather's  attitude  was  as  kindly  as  could  have  been 
expected. 


ON  WEDNESDAY  EVENING  321 

Eloise  came  into  her  mother's  room  that  night, 
beaming. 

"  I  wish  you  had  come  with  us,"  she  said.  "  It  was 
wonderful." 

Mrs.  Evringham  turned  to  her  with  a  lofty  air.  "  I 
have  too  much  loyalty  to  friendship  to  be  seen  in  such 
a  place,"  she  returned. 

"  Nat  said  he  would  n't  ask  you  to  come  down  to  bid 
him  good-by,  because  he  expects  to  come  out  to  spend 
Sundays  for  a  while." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  at  her  daughter.  All  the 
girl's  face  had  lacked  of  vivacity  and  happy  expression 
it  wore  now,  making  her  radiant. 

"  You  could  never  guess  the  news  I  have  for  you, 
mother." 

Mrs.  Evringham's  lips  tightened.  "  Eloise,  if  you 
will  not  marry  the  fine  man  who  had  my  entire  approval, 
it  will  be  outrageous  for  you  to  marry  an  ineligible,  a 
young  fellow  whose  goods  are  all  in  the  show  window, 
who  has  not  proved  himself  in  any  way.  I  refuse  to 
hear  your  news,"  she  returned  impetuously. 

The  girl  laughed.  "  Do  you  mean  Nat,  dear  ?  "  she 
asked,  her  rosy  face  coming  close.  "  I  'm  afraid  he  's 
going  to  spoil  himself  by  becoming  eligible.  He  has 
been  telling  me  a  lot  about  the  business  to-night." 

"  Ho  !  Nat  Bonnell  could  always  talk." 

Eloise' s  arms  closed  around  her.  "  There 's  only 
one  source  of  supply,  mother.  Nat  has  found  Him. 
I  am  finding  Him.  We  shall  not  want.  What  do 
you  think  I  have  here  for  you  ?  Grandfather  gave  it 
to  me."  Eloise  put  into  her  mother's  hands  a  draft 
for  a  thousand  dollars. 


322  JEWEL 

Mrs.  Evringham  appeared  to  lose  sight  of  the  dagger 
she  had  been  seeing  before  her  for  days.  "  What  is 
this?"  she  ejaculated.  "  A  present  from  father?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  Some  unknown  man  owed  it  to  papa, 
and  his  conscience  made  him  pay  the  debt.  It  came 
in  grandfather's  evening  mail,  and  he  has  only  just 
opened  it." 

Mrs.  Evringham  examined  the  paper  eagerly. 

"  How  wonderful !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  How  natural,"  returned  Eloise.  "  That  is  the 
wonderful  part  of  it." 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  REALIZED  HOPE 

ONE  afternoon  Mr.  Evringham  did  not  return  from  the 
city  at  the  usual  time.  Jewel,  watching  for  him,  was 
surprised  after  a  while  to  see  him  walking  up  from  the 
gate. 

"  Why,  what 's  happened  ? "  she  asked.  "  Zeke 
went  for  you." 

"  Yes ;  but  he  found  he  had  to  leave  Dick  to  be 
shod." 

"  Then  are  you  going  to  saddle  Essex  Maid  your 
self  ?  Oh,  can  I  see  you  do  it,  grandpa  ?  "  She  hopped 
with  anticipation. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  '11  ride  just  now.  It 's  an  ex 
cellent  day  for  walking.  It  seems  rather  strange  to 
me,  Jewel,  that  you  've  never  shown  me  the  Ravine  of 
Happiness.  You  talk  a  good  deal  about  it." 

"  Oh,  would  you  like  to  come  ?  "  cried  the  child, 
flushing.  "  Good !  I  have  the  pond  all  fixed  in  Anna 
Belle's  garden,  and  the  ferns  droop  over  it  just  like  a 
fairy  story." 

"  Have  you  put  up  a  sign  for  the  fairies  to  keep 
out?" 

"  No — o,"  returned  Jewel,  drawing  in  her  chin  and 
smiling. 

"  Oh  well,  you  may  be  sure  they  're  at  it,  then,  every 


324  JEWEL 

moonlight  night.  They  have  n't  a  particle  of  respect, 
you  know,  for  anything.  If  I  were  in  Anna  Belle's 
place,  I  should  put  up  a  sign,  '  Private  Grounds.'  " 

"  Oh,  she  's  so  unselfish  she  would  n't.  If  they  only 
won't  break  the  flowers  she  won't  care,"  returned  the 
child,  entering  into  the  fancy  with  zest. 

Mr.  Evringham  took  the  doll  from  her  arms,  and 
carrying  it  up  the  steps  deposited  it  in  a  piazza  chair. 

"  Is  n't  she  going  ?  "  asked  Jewel  soberly. 

"  No,  not  this  time.  She  does  n't  care,  she  's  been 
there  so  much.  *»  Just  see  how  cheerful  and  comfortable 
she  looks !  " 

There  was,  indeed,  a  smile  of  almost  cloying  sweet 
ness  on  Anna  Belle's  countenance,  and  she  seemed  to  be 
seeing  pleasing  visions. 

"  I  never  saw  such  a  good  child  !  "  said  Jewel  with  an 
admiring  sigh ;  then  she  put  her  hand  in  her  grand 
father's  and  they  strolled  out  into  the  park  and  up  the 
shady  road.  Just  before  reaching  the  bend  around 
which  lay  the  gorge,  Mr.  Evringham  surprised  his  com 
panion  by  breaking  in  upon  her  lively  chatter  with  a 
tune  which  he  whistled  loudly. 

It  was  such  an  unusual  ebullition  that  Jewel  looked 
up  at  him.  "  Why,  grandpa,  I  never  heard  you  whistle 
before,"  she  said. 

"  You  did  n't  ?  That 's  because  you  never  before  saw 
me  out  on  a  lark.  I  tell  you,  I  'm  a  gay  one  when  I  get 
started,"  and  forthwith  there  burst  again  from  his  lips 
a  gay  refrain,  that  sounded  shrilly  up  the  leafy  path. 
They  rounded  the  bend  in  the  road,  and  the  broker 
looked  down  into  the  eyes  that  were  bent  upon  him  in 
admiration. 


A   REALIZED  HOPE  325 

"  You  whistle  almost  as  well  as  Mr.  Bonnell,"  said 
tlie  child. 

"  Give  me  time  and  I  dare  say  I  shall  beat  him  out," 
was  the  swaggering  response.  "  Ah,  here  's  your  ravine, 
is  it?" 

"  Yes,  that 's  "   —  began  Jewel,  and  went  no  further. 

A  couple  of  rods  from  where  she  suddenly  came  to  a 
standstill  was  an  object  which  for  a  moment  rooted  her 
to  the  spot.  A  small  horse,  black  as  jet,  with  a  white 
star  in  his  forehead  and  a  flowing,  wavy  mane  and  tail, 
stood  by  the  roadside.  His  coat,  gleaming  like  satin, 
set  off  the  pure  white  leather  of  his  trappings.  On  his 
back  was  fastened  a  side  saddle,  and  he  was  tethered  to 
the  rail  of  the  light  fence. 

Mr.  Evringham  appeared  not  to  see  him.  He  was 
looking  down  the  rocks  and  grass  of  the  steep  incline. 

"  Is  there  any  sort  of  a  path  ?  "  he  asked,  "  or  do  you 
descend  it  as  you  would  a  cellar  door  ?  I  think  you  might 
have  told  me,  so  I  could  change  these  light  trousers." 

"  Grandpa ! "  exclaimed  Jewel  in  a  hushed  tone, 
pointing  before  her.  "  See  that  horse  —  just  like  the 
coal  black  steed  the  princess  rides  in  a  fairy  story." 

"  Why,  that 's  so.  He  is  a  beauty.  Where  do  you 
suppose  the  princess  is  ?  " 

"  She  's  probably  gone  down  the  ravine,"  returned 
the  child,  her  feet  drawn  forward  as  if  by  a  magnet. 
"  Let 's  not  go  down  yet." 

The  broker  allowed  himself  to  be  led  close  to  the 
pony,  who  turned  his  full  bright  eyes  upon  the  pair 
curiously. 

"  Do  you  think  I  might  touch  him,  grandpa  ?  "  asked 
the  child,  still  in  the  hushed  voice. 


326  JEWEL 

"  If  he  's  a  fairy  horse  he  might  vanish,"  returned 
Mr.  Evringham.  "  Let 's  see  how  he  stands  it."  So 
saying  he  gave  the  shining  flank  some  sturdy  love  pats. 
"  Oh,  he 's  all  right.  He  's  good  substantial  flesh  and 
blood." 

"  But  the  lady,"  said  Jewel,  looking  about,  the  pupils 
of  her  eyes  dilated  with  excitement. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  think  a  very  big  lady  has  been  riding 
in  that  saddle.  You  can  do  as  you  'd  be  done  by,  I 
fancy." 

Upon  this  Jewel  stroked  the  pony  over  and  over 
lovingly,  and  he  nosed  about  her  in  a  friendly  way. 

"  Grandpa,  see  him,  see  him  !  And  oh  grandpa, 
see  his  beautiful  star,  white  as  a  snowflake  !  " 

"  Well,  upon  my  word,  if  this  is  n't  lucky,"  remarked 
Mr.  Evringham.  "  Here  is  some  sugar  in  my  pocket, 
now."  He  passed  some  lumps  to  the  child. 

"  Would  it  be  right  ?  "  she  asked,  glancing  down 
the  ravine.  "  Had  I  better  wait  till  the  girl  comes 
up?" 

"  She  won't  mind,  I  '11  wager,"  returned  Mr.  Evring 
ham  ;  so  the  child,  thus  encouraged,  fed  the  coal  black 
steed,  who,  for  all  his  poetical  appearance,  had  evidently 
a  strongly  developed  sweet  tooth. 

"  Hello,  what 's  this  ! "  exclaimed  the  broker,  stepping 
to  the  fence  and  taking  up  something  black  and  folded. 
When  he  shook  it  out,  it  proved  to  be  a  child's  riding 
skirt. 

"  She 's  left  it  there,"  said  Jewel  eagerly.  "  We 
ought  not  to  touch  it.  It 's  very  hard  on  clothes  going 
down  the  ravine,  and  she 's  left  it  there.  Don't  you 
think,  grandpa,  you  ought  to  put  it  back  ?"  for  to  her 


A   REALIZED  HOPE  327 

great  surprise  her  punctilious  and  particular  relative 
was  shaking  the  fine  skirt  about  recklessly  and  examin 
ing  it. 

"  Here  's  a  name,"  he  said,  bringing  his  prize  to 
Jewel  and  showing  her  an  oblong  bit  of  white  cloth, 
such  as  tailors  use  inside  dresses.  "  What  do  you 
make  of  it  ?  " 

The  child,  disturbed  by  such  daring,  and  dreading  to 
see  the  owner  of  these  splendid  possessions  scramble  up 
the  bank,  looked  reluctantly. 

The  name  was  a  long  one,  but  so  familiar  that  she 
recognized  it  at  once.  "  Evringham." 

She  lifted  her  eyes  to  her  grandfather.  "  It 's  the 
same  as  ours." 

"  There  is  n't  another  Evringham  in  Bel- Air,"  re 
turned  the  broker.  "The  fairies  dropped  this  for 
you,  I  guess,  Jewel.  It  certainly  won't  fit  me.  Let 's 
try  it  on." 

He  slipped  it  over  the  head  of  the  dazed  child  and 
hooked  it  around  her  waist. 

" 4  It  fitted  her  exactly,'  "  murmured  Jewel.  "  They 
always  say  so  in  fairy  stories." 

"  Look  here,"  said  her  grandfather.  He  put  his 
hand  into  the  stirrup  and  drew  out  a  folded  bit  of 
paper.  He  handed  it  to  the  child,  who  began  to  wonder 
if  she  was  dreaming. 

DEAR  JEWEL  (she  read),  — - 1  believe  you  expected 
Divine  Love  to  send  you  a  horse.  I  have  come  to  be 
long  to  you,  and  my  name  is  STAR. 

It  was  astonishing  what  a  large,  round  penmanship 


328  JEWEL 

the  pony  possessed.  There  was  no  possibility  of  mistak 
ing  a  word. 

Jewel  read  the  note  over  twice  as  she  stood  there, 
the  long,  scant  skirt  making  her  look  tall.  Mr.  Evring- 
ham  stood  watching  her.  His  part  in  the  comedy  was 
played.  He  waited. 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  eyes  that  seemed  trying 
to  comprehend  a  fact  too  large. 

"  Grandpa,  have  you  given  me  this  horse  ?  "  she  asked 
solemnly,  and  he  could  see  her  hands  beginning  to 
tremble. 

"  Oh,  am  /  to  get  some  credit  for  this  ?  "  returned 
the  broker,  smiling  and  twisting  his  mustache.  "  I 
did  n't  expect  that." 

He  knew  her  lack  of  motion  would  not  last  long,  and 
Tvas  bracing  himself  for  the  attack  when,  to  his  sur 
prise,  she  pulled  up  the  impeding  skirt  and  made  a  rush, 
not  for  him,  but  for  the  pony.  Hiding  her  face  on  the 
creature's  satin  shoulder,  she  flung  her  arm  around  his 
throat,  and  seizing  his  rippling  mane,  sobbed  as  if  her 
heart  would  break. 

Mr.  Evringham  had  not  spent  weeks  in  selecting  and 
testing  a  horse  for  his  granddaughter  without  choosing 
one  whose  nervous  system  would  be  proof  against  sudden 
assaults  of  affection ;  but  this  onslaught  was  so  ener 
getic  that  the  pony  tossed  his  head  and  backed  to  the 
end  of  his  tether. 

His  new  mistress  stumbled  after  him,  her  face  still 
hidden.  She  was  trying  heroically  to  stifle  the  sobs 
that  were  shaking  her  from  head  to  foot. 

"  Jewel,  Jewel,  child  !  "  ejaculated  her  grandfather, 
much  dismayed.  "  Come,  come,  what 's  this  ?  " 


A   REALIZED  HOPE  329 

He  drew  her  with  a  strong  hand,  and  she  deserted 
the  pony,  much  to  the  latter's  relief,  and  clasping  Mr. 
Evringham  as  high  up  as  she  could  reach,  began  bedew 
ing  his  vest  buttons  with  her  tears. 

"  Oh  gra —  grandpa,  I  c — can't  have  him !  "  she 
sobbed.  "  There  is  n't  any  roo —  room  for  him  in  our 
-  our  fla—  fla—  flat !  " 

"  Well,  did  you  expect  to  keep  him  in  the  flat  ? " 
inquired  Mr.  Evringham,  stooping  tenderly,  his  own 
eyes  shining  suspiciously,  as  he  put  his  arms  around 
the  little  shaking  form. 

"  N — no  ;  but  we  —  we  have  n't  any  bar —  barn." 

The  broker  smiled  above  the  voluminous,  quivering 
bows. 

"Well,  hasn't  some  good  livery  man  in  your  neigh 
borhood  a  stable  ?  " 

"  Ye —  yes."  Jewel  made  greater  efforts  to  stop 
crying.  "  But  I  —  I  talked  with  mo —  mother  once 
about  cou —  could  I  ha —  have  a  horse  sometime  be 
fore  I  gr —  grew  up,  and  she  said  she  mi —  might  buy 
the  horse,  but  it  cost  so  much  —  much  money  every 
week  to  bo —  board  it,  it  would  be  —  be  error." 

Mr.  Evringham  patted  the  heaving  shoulder. 

"  Ah,  but  you  don't  know  yet  all  about  your  horse. 
In  some  respects  I  've  never  seen  a  pony  like  him." 

"I  —  I  never  have,"  returned  the  child. 

"  Oh,  but  you  '11  be  surprised  at  this.  This  pony 
has  a  bank  account." 

Jewel  slowly  grew  quiet. 

"  Nobody  has  to  pay  for  his  board  and  clothes.  He 
is  very  independent.  He  would  have  it  that  way." 

"  Grandpa !  "  came  in  muffled  tones  from  the  broker's 
vest. 


330  JEWEL 

"  So  don't  you  think  you  'd  better  cheer  up  and  look 
at  him  once  more,  and  tell  him  you  won't  cry  on  his 
shoulder  very  often  ?  " 

In  a  minute  Jewel  looked  up,  revealing  her  swollen 
eyes.     "  I  'm  ashamed,"  she  said  softly,  "  but  he  was  — 
so  —  be — autiful  —  I  forgot  to  remember." 

"  Well,  I  guess  you  did  forget  to  remember,"  re 
turned  Mr.  Evringham,  shaking  his  head  and  leading 
the  child  to  her  pony's  side. 

He  lifted  her  into  the  saddle  and  arranged  her  skirt, 
brushing  away  the  dust. 

"  Grandpa  !  "  she  exclaimed  softly,  with  a  long,  quiv 
ering  sigh,  "  I  'in  so  happy  !  " 

"  Have  you  ever  ridden,  Jewel  ?  " 

"Oh  yes,  a  thousand  times,"  she  answered  quickly ; 
"  but  not  on  a  real  horse,"  she  added  as  an  after 
thought. 

"  H'm.  That  might  make  a  difference."  Mr.  Ev 
ringham  loosed  the  pony  and  put  the  white  bridle  in 
the  child's  hands  ;  then  he  led  the  pretty  creature  down 
the  woodland  road. 

"  I  'm  so  happy,"  repeated  Jewel.  "  What  will  mo 
ther  and  father  say !  " 

"  You  '11  be  a  regular  circus  rider  by  the  time  they 
come  home." 

As  the  broker  spoke  these  words  Zeke  appeared 
around  the  bend  in  the  road,  riding  Essex  Maid.  His 
face  was  alight  with  interest  in  the  sight  that  met  him. 

Jewel  called  to  him  radiantly.  "Oh,  Zeke,  what  do 
you  think?" 

"  I  think  it 's  great,"  he  responded.  "  Hello,  little 
kid,"  he  said,  as  he  came  nearer  and  perceived  the  signs 


A  REALIZED  HOPE  331 

in  the  child's  face.     "  Pony  do  any  harm,  Mr.  Evring- 
ham  ?  "  he  asked  with  respectful  concern. 

"  No ;  Jewel  cried  a  little,  but  it  was  only  because  I 
told  her  she  could  not  sleep  nights  in  Star's  manger." 

The  child  gave  one  look  of  astonishment  at  the 
speaker's  grave  countenance,  and  then  shouted  with  a 
laugh  as  spontaneous  as  though  no  tear  had  ever  fallen 
from  her  shining  eyes. 

"  See  Essex  Maid  look  at  my  pony,  grandpa !  "  she 
said  joyously.  "  She  looks  so  proud  and  stuck  up" 

"  Look  away,  my  lady,"  said  the  broker.     "  You  '11 
see  a  great  deal  more  of  this  young  sprig  before  you 
see  less." 
.  Zeke  dismounted. 

"  Now  then,"  Mr.  Evringham  looked  up  at  the  child, 
"  I  'm  going  to  let  go  your  bridle." 

"  I  want  you  to,"  she  answered  gayly. 

Mr.  Evringham  mounted  his  horse.  "  We  '11  take 
a  sedate  walk  through  the  woods,"  he  said.  "  Zeke, 
you  might  lead  her  a  little  way." 

"  No,  no,  please"  begged  the  child.  "  I  know  how 
to  ride.  I  do" 

"  Well,  let  her  go  then,"  smiled  the  broker,  and  Es 
sex  Maid  trotted  slowly,  noting  with  haughty  bright 
eyes  the  little  black  companion,  who  might  have  stepped 
out  of  a  picture  book,  but  whose  easy  canter  was  tossing 
Jewel  at  every  step. 

"  I  have  n't  —  any  —  whip  !  "  The  words  were 
bounced  out  of  the  child's  lips,  and  Mr.  Evringham's 
laugh  resounded  along  the  avenue. 

"  I  believe  she  'd  use  it,"  he  said  to  Zeke,  who  was 
running  along  beside  the  black  pony. 


332  JEWEL 

"  I  guess  she  would,  sir,"  grinned  the  young  fellow 
responsively. 

It  was  not  many  days  before  Jewel  had  learned  to 
stay  in  the  saddle.  She  had  an  efficient  teacher  who 
worked  with  her  con  amore,  and  the  sight  of  the  erect, 
gray-haired  man  on  his  famous  mare,  always  accom 
panied  by  the  rosy  little  girl  on  a  black  pony,  came  to 
be  a  familiar  sight  in  Bel-Air,  and  one  which  people 
always  turned  to  follow  with  their  eyes. 

Eloise  had  her  talk  with  Mr.  Evringham  one  even 
ing  when  Jewel  was  excluded  from  the  library,  and  she 
emerged  from  the  interview  with  a  more  contented  heart 
than  she  had  known  for  a  year. 

She  endeavored  to  convey  the  situation  to  her  mother 
in  detail,  but  when  that  lady  had  learned  that  there 
were  no  happy  surprises,  she  declined  to  listen. 

"  Tastes  differ,  Eloise,"  she  said.  "  I  am  one  who 
believes  that  where  ignorance  is  bliss  't  is  folly  to  be 
wise."  Mrs.  Evringham  had  regained  a  quite  light- 
hearted  appearance  in  the  interest  of  expending  a  por 
tion  of  her  windfall  on  her  own  and  Eloise's  summer 
wardrobe. 

"  Well,  you  shan't  be  bothered  then,"  returned  her 
daughter.  "  You  have  me  to  take  care  of  our  money 
matters." 

"  I  prefer  to  let  father  do  it,"  returned  Mrs.  Evring 
ham  decidedly.  "  He  is  a  changed  being  of  late,  and 
we  are  as  well  situated  as  we  could  hope  to  be.  I  don't 
feel  quite  satisfied  with  the  lining  of  the  brougham,  but 
some  day  I  mean  to  speak  of  it." 

Eloise  threw  up  both  hands,  but  she  laughed.  She 
and  her  grandfather  had  an  excellent  understanding, 


A  REALIZED  HOPE  333 

and  she  knew  that  the  mills  of  the  gods  were  about  to 
grind. 

One  evening  the  broker  called  his  daughter-in-law 
into  the  library. 

"  I  hope  it  is  n't  on  business,"  she  remarked  flip 
pantly  as  she  entered.  "  I  tell  you  right  at  the  start, 
father,  I  can't  understand  it."  Her  eyes  wandered  about 
the  room  curiously.  It  was  strange  to  her.  She  took 
up  a  woman's  picture  from  the  desk.  "  Who  is  this  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  How  do  you  like  the  face  ?  "  he  returned. 

The  dark  eyes  and  sweet  mouth  looked  back  at  her. 
She  frowned  slightly.  She  did  not  like  the  situa 
tion  in  which  she  had  found  the  photograph.  It  was 
far  too  intimate  for  a  stranger,  and  made  her  a  little 
nervous. 

"  If  he  is  going  to  marry  again,  then  good-by  in 
deed  !  "  she  thought. 

"I  think  it  is  rather  sentimental,"  she  returned, 
with  an  air  of  engaging  candor,  "  don't  you  ?  Just  my 
first  impression,  you  know ;  but  it 's  a  face  I  should  n't 
trust.  Who  is  it  ?  " 

"  It  is  Jewel's  mother,"  returned  the  broker  quietly, 
"  my  daughter  Julia.  Jewel  brought  it  down  last 
night,  also  a  lot  of  little  letters  her  mother  had  put 
in  the  pockets  of  the  child's  dresses  when  she  packed 
them." 

"  Ah  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Evringham  triumphantly. 
"  Did  n't  I  say  she  was  sentimental  ?  About  that  sort 
of  thing  my  perceptions  are  always  so  keen." 

"  H'm.  I  read  the  letters,  and  I  judged  from  them 
that  one  can  trust  her.  Will  you  be  seated  ?  "  He 


334  JEWEL 

placed  a  chair.  "  I  should  like  to  ask  your  plans  for 
the  summer." 

Mrs.  Evringham  looked  up  quickly,  startled.  "  Oh, 
I  have  n't  any.  Have  you  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  always  seek  some  cool  spot.  You  have  an 
invitation  to  View  Point,  I  understand.  You  could 
scarcely  do  better." 

"  I  have  reasons,  father,"  impressively,  "  reasons  for 
declining  that." 

"  Then  where  are  you  going  ?  " 

"  I  would  just  as  lief  stay  here  and  take  care  of  your 
house  as  not,"  declared  the  lady  magnanimously. 

"  Ha !     Without  any  servants  ?  " 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  They  are  going  away  for  a  vacation.  I  am  in 
tending  to  have  the  house  wired,  and  Mrs.  Forbes  and 
Zeke  will  hold  sway  in  the  barn.  She  does  n't  wish  to 
leave  him." 

Mrs.  Evringham  was  silenced  and  dismayed.  She 
felt  herself  being  firmly  and  inexorably  pushed  out  of 
this  well-lined  nest. 

Her  eyes  fell  before  the  impenetrable  ones  regard 
ing  her. 

"  How  did  Jewel  ever  win  him  ?  "  she  thought.  The 
picturesque  pony,  with  his  arched  neck  and  expensive 
trappings,  had  outraged  her  feelings  for  days. 

"  About  the  View  Point  plan,"  continued  Mr.  Ev 
ringham  deliberately.  "I  think  there  are  influences 
waiting  for  you  there  that  will  be  of  benefit.  There  is 
a  new  philosophy  percolating  in  these  days  through  our 
worldly  rubbish  which  you  and  I  would  be  the  better 
for  grasping.  Your  chances  are  better  than  mine,  for 


A   REALIZED  HOPE  335 

you  are  young  still.  Your  daughter  is  expanding  like 
a  flower  already,  in  the  first  rays  of  her  understanding 
of  it.  This  young  man  whom  you  fancy  you  can  avoid 
is  a  help  to  her.  Mr.  Reeves  was  talking  to  me  about 
him  last  night.  He  says  that  so  far  as  his  business  is 
concerned,  young  Bonnell  is  proving  the  square  peg  in 
the  square  hole.  I  don't  know  what  Eloise's  sentiments 
are  toward  him,  but  I  do  know  that  she  shall  be  inde 
pendent  of  any  one's  financial  help  but  mine." 

Mrs.  Evringham  lifted  her  eyes  hopefully. 

"  I  shall  eke  out  the  little  income  which  is  left  to 
you  with  sufficient  for  you  to  live  —  not  as  you  have 
done  —  but  comfortably." 

The  eager  light  faded  from  his  listener's  eyes. 

"  Eloise  and  I  have  arranged  that,"  he  continued, 
"  and  she  is  satisfied.  Take  my  advice,  Madge.  Go 
to  View  Point." 

"  I  suppose  Eloise  does  n't  need  horses  so  long  as 
Jewel  has  them,"  said  Mrs.  Evringham,  rising. 

Her  host  followed  her  example.  "  She  thinks  not," 
he  returned  concisely  ;  then  he  opened  the  library  door, 
and  his  daughter-in-law  swept  from  his  presence  with 
all  the  dignity  she  could  muster. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

AT    TWILIGHT 

IT  was  Sunday,  and  Mr.  Bonnell  was  dining  at  Bel- Air 
Park.  Had  Jewel  thought  of  it,  she  might  have  con 
trasted  the  expression  of  Mrs.  Forbes's  face  as  she 
waited  at  table  this  evening  with  the  look  it  wore  on 
the  day  she  first  arrived  ;  might  have  noted  the  cheer 
ful  flow  of  talk  which  enlivened  the  board,  in  distinc 
tion  from  the  stiff  silence  or  bitter  repartee  which  once 
chilled  her.  As  she  responded  to  the  smiles  hovering 
now  about  Eloise's  lovely  lips,  she  might  have  remem 
bered  the  once  sombre  sadness  of  those  eyes.  Even 
Mrs.  Evringham  had  buried  the  Macbethian  dagger, 
and  wore  the  meek  and  patient  air  of  one  misunder 
stood  ;  but  nothing  would  have  amazed  the  child  so 
much  as  to  be  told  that  she  had  had  anything  to  do 
with  this  metamorphosis. 

Anna  Belle,  —  deserted  often  now,  perforce,  on  ac 
count  of  the  pony,  whose  life  was  a  strenuous  one,  owing 
to  the  variety  of  Jewel's  attentions,  —  Anna  Belle  was 
petted  with  extra  fondness  when  her  turn  came ;  and 
she  sat  at  table  now  in  a  pleasing  trance,  her  smile  an 
impartial  benediction  upon  all. 

It  had  been  a  glorious  June  day,  the  park  was  at  its- 
best.  After  dinner  the  family  strolled  out  toward  the 
piazza. 


AT  TWILIGHT  337 

Mrs.  Forbes  had  attended  her  own  Baptist  church 
that  morning,  and  the  familiar  Sunday-school  tune  that 
the  children  sang  floated  through  her  mind  as  she 
looked  after  the  group. 

"  When  He  cometh,  when  He  cometh, 

To  make  up  His  jewels, 
All  His  pure  ones,  all  His  bright  ones, 
His  loved  and  His  own. 

"  Little  children,  little  children, 

Who  love  their  Redeemer, 
Are  the  jewels,  precious  jewels, 
His  loved  and  His  own." 

"  What  is  Mr.  Evringham  going  to  do  without  that 
child  ?  "  she  thought. 

The  broker  was  invaded  with  the  same  problem  as 
Jewel  lingered  with  him  on  the  piazza,  while  the  others 
walked  on  toward  a  seat  beneath  a  spreading  maple. 

He  ensconced  himself  in  his  favorite  chair.  The 
thrushes  were  singing  vespers.  The  pure  air  was 
faintly  and  deliciously  scented. 

"  Grandpa,  is  it  too  late  to  bring  Star  out  for  a 
nibble  ?  "  asked  the  little  girl  wistfully. 

"  No,  I  guess  not,"  returned  the  broker  as  he  opened 
his  cigar  case.  "  Star  may  have  a  short  life,  but  he  's 
certainly  experiencing  a  merry  one.  There 's  no  moss 
gathering  on  that  pony." 

Jewel  had  not  waited  for  more  than  the  permission. 
She  was  fleeing  toward  the  barn. 

Mr.  Evringham  lighted  his  cigar,  and  then  his  eye 
fell  upon  the  doll,  too  hastily  set  down,  and  fallen  at 
a  distressing  angle.  Her  eyes  were  closed  as  if  her 
sensibilities  had  been  shocked  overmuch. 


338  JEWEL 

"  Anna  Belle,  Anna  Belle,  has  it  come  to  this !  "  he 
murmured,  picking  up  the  neglected  one,  who,  with  hel 
usual  elasticity  and  exuberance  of  spirit,  at  once  opened 
her  eyes  and  beamed  optimistically  on  her  rescuer.  He 
set  her,  facing  him,  on  his  knee.  "  Such  is  youth  !  " 
he  sighed.  "  When  she  throws  me  down,  I  feel  that 
I  'm  not  going  to  be  so  recuperative  as  you,  Anna  Belle. 
I  have  a  plan,  however,  a  plan  of  self-defense ;  but  if 
it  weren't  for  your  discretion,  I  shouldn't  tell  it  to 
you,  for  I  'm  an  old  bird,  young  lady,  and  can't  bo 
caught  with  chaff.  There  are  many  worthy  persons  who 
may  rise  to  lofty  heights  in  eternity,  who,  nevertheless, 
meanwhile  are  not  desirable  to  sit  opposite  a  man  at 
his  breakfast  table.  A  visit,  Anna  Belle,  a  short  visit 
from  my  daughter  Julia  is  all  I  shall  ask  for  at  first,  and 
I  shall  test  her,  test  her,  my  dear.  I  '11  look  at  her 
through  a  magnifying  glass.  Of  course,  if  they  'd  give 
me  Jewel,  it  would  be  all  I  'd  ask  for ;  but  they  won't. 
That  is  self-evident." 

Here  the  child  came  around  the  corner  of  the  house, 
leading  her  pet  by  a  halter,  but  with  her  hand  in  his 
mane  as  she  pressed  close  to  his  side,  caressing  and 
talking  to  him.  In  fact  it  was  the  harassing  problem 
of  the  pony's  life  to  manage  to  avoid  stepping  on  her. 
Zeke  lounged  in  the  background  on  account  equally  of 
his  orders  and  his  inclination. 

Star  began  cropping  the  grass,  and  Mr.  Evringham 
continued  his  disquisition  to  the  bright-eyed  young 
person  on  his  knee  :  — 

"  My  son  Harry  is  turning  out  a  pretty  good  sort,  I 
fancy.  I  'm  not  particularly  shy  of  giving  him  a  trial, 
provided  he  '11  do  the  same  by  me  ;  but  I  suppose  he 


ZEKE   HAD   ASKED   HER   TO   SING 


AT  TWILIGHT  339 

will  have  to  go  West  at  first,  anyway.  Julia  *is  a  dif 
ferent  thing.  I  can't  whistle  her  on  and  off  with  the 
same  frankness ;  and  I  must  be  careful,  Anna  Belle. 
Do  you  understand  ?  Careful !  And  I  'm  going  to 
be,  by  Jove,  in  spite  of  the  way  it  makes  me  cringe  to 
think  of  this  big  house,  empty  as  a  drum.  It  was  n't 
empty  before,  that 's  the  mischief  of  it.  What  has 
happened  to  me  ?  I  thought  things  were  well  enough 
in  those  days.  Nobody  whom  I  knew  was  particularly 
happy.  Why  should  I  be  ?  " 

The  thrushes  stopped,  for  Jewel's  childish  voice 
floated  out  on  the  evening  air. 

Mr.  Evringham  knew  what  had  happened.  He  knew 
that  Zeke  had  asked  her  to  sing.  They  two  were  sit 
ting  on  the  ground,  while  the  pony  cropped  away  at  the 
sweet  grass. 

"  From  tired  joy  and  grief  afar, 

And  nearer  Thee, 

Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are 
I  love  to  be  I  " 

The  broker  listened  for  a  minute. 

"  I  '11  take  Jewel  and  her  mother  to  the  seashore 
somewhere ;  for  I  must  leave  the  house,  if  only  to  let 
Madge  down  easily,  and  too,  I  wish  to  study  Julia 
outside  her  atmosphere.  Poor  Madge,  she's  a  light 
weight,  but  I  think  there  are  better  times  coming  for 
her.  At  View  Point  she  '11  find  friends." 

Time  passed,  and  at  last  Mr.  Evringham  called, 
"  That  will  do,  Jewel." 

"  Do  you  want  Star  to  go  in  ?  "  she  returned. 

The  broker  nodded,  and  the  child  sprang  up  and 
began  patting  and  smoothing  the  little  horse  with  ener 
getic  affection. 


340  JEWEL 

"  It 's  your  bedtime,  Star,"  she  said,  "  btlt  morn 
ing  's  coming."  She  kissed  his  sleek  shoulder.  "  We  '11 
have  such  a  good  time  in  the  morning.  I  don't  bounce 
a  bit  now,  do  I,  Zeke?"  she  asked,  turning  to  him. 

"  Well,  I  guess  not,"  returned  Zeke  scornfully. 
"  You  ain't  the  kind  that  gets  bounced  after  a  fellow 
knows  you,"  he  added,  smiling.  He  took  the  pony's 
halter.  "  Good-night,  Jewel." 

"  Good-night,  Zeke."  She  ran  across  the  lawn  and 
up  the  piazza  steps.  "  How  kind  of  you,  grandpa,  to 
amuse  Anna  Belle  !  "  she  exclaimed  gratefully,  observ 
ing  the  doll  on  his  knee.  At  the  same  time  she  most 
abruptly  whisked  that  patient  person  into  a  neighbor 
ing  chair  and  usurped  her  place.  Cuddling  down  in 
her  grandfather's  arms,  she  nestled  her  head  against 
his  shoulder  and  sighed  happily. 

The  light  began  to  fade,  the  last  smoke  from  the  bro 
ker's  cigar  curled  out  into  the  summer  air.  He  tossed 
it  away  and  pressed  the  child  more  closely  to  him. 

"  Sing  once  again  the  song  you  sang  for  Zeke,"  he 
eaid. 

And  she  began  softly  in  her  true,  clear  voice :  — 

"  From  tired  joy  and  grief  afar, 

And  nearer  Thee, 

Father,  where  Thine  own  children  are 
I  love  to  be  !  " 

"  Amen,"  breathed  Mr.  Evringham. 


<€br  finu-rsiDc  press; 

SUcirotyptd  and  printed  by  H.  O.  Haughton  <5r-  Co, 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.S.  A. 


University  of  CaUforma^ 


A     000118714     5 


Unh 
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